Destiny Awaits
by centauri2002
Summary: Mai HiME Destiny, ShizNat centric Set a few months before the start of the novel. Natsuki finds herself threatened by a new faction. What exactly is going on behind the scenes? What are Shizuru's true intentions?
1. Chapter 1

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

**Note: **You can blame MysticOmega and Wolf from the Hidden Flames for this story as they set free the plot bunnies that then mauled me. Not only did they set them free, they continued to house aforementioned plot bunnies and supply them food. Gah, as if I don't have enough stories to write! And I just had to make this a multi-chapter too! Pfft.

Also, I'm introducing some old HiME characters that haven't appeared in Destiny as of yet to further my own plot. Forgive me if they do show up at some point in Destiny and this ruins the canon but I need some extra characters.

Also, the scenes will be a bit shorter than what I usually write for Giving In, etc. They will probably be about the length of the scenes in Chains, so I can get the chapters out quickly, and move the plot along at a reasonable speed too. Though I'm sure one or two scenes shall be the exception. Heh.

Thanks to Leebot for betaing!

**Timeline: **Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny Novels.

**Dedication: **For my li'l tiger… to help cheer you up, I hope. Heh. Because this is all I can do right now.

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The soft patter of fine rain against the pavement filled Natsuki Kuga's ears as she strolled between the buildings of Fuuka Academy. Her jacket and skirt were soaked and she could feel her sneakers squelch with each step she took. The dark clouds loomed morosely overhead, darkening her mood even more. Her black hair clung to her face and several strands whipped at her neck as the wind pushed against her. She curled her cold fingers around to form tight fists as she pressed forward, a shiver shaking her slim body as the cold seeped through her uniform.

Emerald eyes scanned the area, searching for someone in particular as she wondered what had urged her to come out in this awful weather. She could have arranged the meeting inside where it was warm and dry after all, even though privacy was a problem. She forced out an irritated breath as she continued to stalk along the path, faintly satisfied with the notion that no one would think to eavesdrop on her conversation in this weather. The rain nicely covered any sounds as well. Catching a flash of brown in her peripheral vision, Natsuki glanced over and noticed her intended target was leaning against the wall of the building, attempting to keep his podgy form from getting too wet.

"Sakomizu," she grunted as she neared him, her eyes narrowing as he smirked at her.

"Would it hurt you to call me sensei?" He asked, an amused edge to his voice.

Natsuki let out a huff in response and rolled her eyes, rubbing the palm of her hands against her soaked jacket in a poor attempt at drying them off. "Get on with it, Sakomizu, I want to get out of this rain," she warned, her voice dropping to a low growl.

The teacher seemed unfazed by her cold response and shook his head slightly, his Afro wobbling at the motion. The sight seemed rather amusing to Natsuki but the scowl remained set firmly into her features; she was far too chilled to let the corner of her lips lift even a little. "You realise I could get in a lot of trouble for this?" It seemed more like a reminder than a question to Natsuki.

"You're scared of losing your job?" She asked, the words dripping with annoyance.

Sakomizu shook his head again. "Not particularly. Something a bit worse than that," he explained vaguely. When two black eyebrows arched upwards, he frowned a little. "I don't want to disappear."

Natsuki couldn't help but snort. "You're being a bit over-dramatic."

He drew his lips into a thin line for a moment, trying to convey his seriousness in that one expression but the young woman didn't appear to be getting the hint. He let out a sigh. "Staff have gone missing in the past, Kuga. It hasn't happened in over a year but that's for a very good reason." He avoided saying anything specific outright and Natsuki caught onto that, a crease appearing in between her eyebrows as she thought.

Then it hit her. "Oh. I see," she murmured, her words quieting as she realised what he had meant. "Fujino."

A nod and then he glanced from side to side before leaning in towards her a little. "The staff that had gone missing previously were said to have broken the rules set by the Student Council. You know I'd be doing the same if I gave you this information," his voice was hushed now and Natsuki could detect the faintest trace of a quiver in it.

She shrugged, trying to keep up her apathetic demeanour. "You came to me, remember?" she pointed out, crossing her arms across her chest, the chill from the soaked clothing seeping throughout her chest.

Sakomizu leant back against the brickwork once more and heaved a loud sigh. "Yes, yes," he started, his voice still hushed. "I suppose so. I hope you appreciate the danger I'm putting myself in though."

The second-year student narrowed her eyes, green peeking out from behind long dark lashes. "Get on with it, Sakomizu," she barked, her words coming out sounding like a command.

"Fine. The reason I wanted to speak to you in the first place was because I found out someone's been awfully interested in you, Kuga." He paused, waiting for Natsuki's reaction. She quirked an eyebrow at him, a glint of suspicion in her eye. "From what I can tell a group called Munakata are responsible for accessing your records and asking around about you."

"Munakata," Natsuki let the name roll off her tongue, dragging out the syllables as her mind tried to make a connection. It did sound familiar and she found it surprising that there was a faction within this school that she hadn't been aware of, especially one as active as this one appeared to be. "Shiho!" She made the connection.

Sakomizu nodded at her exclamation. "Yes, she appears to be the one running things. Seems a bit unstable though, so be careful," he pushed himself off the wall once he had finished and turned to leave.

Natsuki reached out and placed a hand on his upper arm. "Oi. Is that it?"

He paused and looked back at her, glancing down at her hand and then back at green eyes. "What did you expect? For me to hand over a detailed report? I'm not some grunt that works for you, Kuga, I'm just doing you a favour so you'll do the same for me one day."

Natsuki withdrew her hand and looked back at him, feeling a bit baffled. "What reason would you have..?"

The rotund teacher smiled at her before turning to face the direction he had been going. "I know changes will come in the future and I'm just setting myself up to be in a positive position when they do come." His voice was almost carried away by the wind but Natsuki was able to pick them up.

The young woman pondered his words for a moment, turning them over and over in her mind. What was he trying to say? How would doing her a favour be of advantage to him? How much was he really aware of? He gave her the impression he knew a lot more than he was letting on yet she knew it wouldn't be easy to get that out of him. Was there something going on behind the scenes that she didn't know about yet? She found that quite likely.

She watched as Sakomizu disappeared inside the school building, leaving her alone in the heavy rain. She shivered as she realised she was allowing herself to be continually soaked for no apparent reason. She hurried over to the double doors the teacher had passed through and slipped inside the invitingly warm building. With a sigh of relief, she patted at her clothes, the actions useless except for keeping herself active. She pawed helplessly at her hair, clumps of it clinging to her skin now and she let out a frustrated breath.

She made her way to the gym area, hoping to get a shower and a fresh set of clothes from her locker before she was caught and ushered into class by some inconsiderate member of staff. The halls were almost completely empty and she met little resistance in her journey. The odd student would occasionally greet her but she largely ignored them. Her shoes were squelching loudly by the time she reached her intended destination and she hardly even heard the deliberate footsteps heading her way as she weaved through the rows of lockers.

As she reached to enter her lock combination, a hand on her shoulder caused her to spin around, an angry glare aimed at the owner of the appendage. In front of her stood two girls of around the same age as her; they were both shorter than her, one with short blonde hair, the other a pony tailed brunette. The duo wore matching expressions and they both looked at her with defiance. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She baulked.

"You're Kuga huh?" The blonde asked, disdain clear in her voice. Natsuki could feel her eyebrow twitch ever so slightly, their mere presence annoying her. What had she done to gain their hatred anyway? Not that she cared much; she just wanted them gone.

"I don't see why I have to answer any of your irritating little questions. Why don't the both of you get lost?" She turned back to her locker, satisfied that the chill in her tone would set them fleeing.

She gritted her teeth when mocking laughter filled her ears and she snapped her head back to the left to see what was so funny. Both girls were snickering at her and she could feel her blood begin to boil. "I don't see where you get your reputation from, there's nothing scary about you," the brunette sneered.

She wasn't sure where that particular reputation had come from either but it didn't mean she was any less annoyed at the insinuation. Plus, it was quite advantageous at getting rid of annoying students such as these two. Usually. "Want me to show you?" She inwardly cringed at the threat, knowing it'd fool nobody. Even though she itched to summon her weapons and shoot both of these dimwits in the head, she didn't want to risk getting on the wrong side of the student council just yet.

Again came that infuriating laughter. Her eyes narrowed and lips pulled back over her teeth slightly but the reaction only seemed to fuel the two girls' mirth further. "You're kidding no one, Kuga," the blonde managed once she had calmed herself. "Now… disband your so-called group and you may escape this whole situation unscathed."

Natsuki's fists clenched tightly and she had to resist the urge to strike out at them. Not only did they have the gall to threaten her but to mock her faction as well. She wouldn't stand for this. "So that's what this is about. Let me stop you there then, my faction will never bow to anyone so get that idea out of your heads. Tell your little leader that if you want a fight, you got it!"

Instead of the expected snickering, both girls glared at her angrily, her words seemingly having hit a nerve. Perhaps they'd expected her to be fearful. If they'd bothered to do any proper research on her, they'd know she had never backed down before. "Shiho is gonna make sure you never leave this school alive!" The brunette seethed. _Shiho huh? So she's behind this too… I guess I need to have words with her._

"Don't make me laugh," Natsuki rolled her eyes at the girls, waving a hand dismissively. "That crazy little freak would never be able to hold her own against me."

A shriek filled her ears and she gasped out as a hand slapped her firmly across the face. She brought a hand up to cover the quickly reddening skin, a sharp stinging in her cheek making her eyes water a little. She looked incredulously at the blonde who had attacked her, eyes widening in disbelief. _She slapped me? No one's slapped me…_

"You…" Natsuki stumbled to find words. "You… slapped me!?"

The blonde merely glowered at her but the brunette chirped in with her own comment. "That's what you get for insulting Shiho," she sounded almost triumphant. Natsuki growled back at her in response, considering her options. She could just walk away but that went against her nature, she wanted to stand and fight… and win. The girls seemed all too willing to indulge her in the fighting part, at least.

Natsuki took a step backwards, narrowly avoiding another slap. She reflexively lashed out, landing a not-too-heavy punch on the blonde's jaw, sending her sprawling backwards into her friend and knocking them both to the floor. She couldn't help but smirk at the tangle of limbs and clothing. "I don't slap…" She sneered.

Two shocked pairs of eyes blinked back at her, one set rather watery. Considering this her victory, Natsuki smugly turned on her heel and marched out of the locker area, all but forgetting the reason she had come here in the first place. It wasn't until she had reached the corridor outside that she became aware of why she was shivering.

"Idiot…" She mumbled, stalking straight back into the room again.

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_Why am I even here? _Natsuki asked herself as she leant against the cold metal of the fire exit. Little did the other students of the school know that this door was no longer hooked up to the security system and it was possible to open it without triggering any alarms. Not that she usually used it to enter the building, she would often find herself in this narrow alleyway between two of the school's departments after slipping out said fire exit. But she just couldn't understand why she was here or why she ever came. It made no sense to her and yet here she was, waiting like an idiot. Like she always did, like she didn't have a will of her own. Or perhaps it was her wish after all.

She growled in frustration and shook her head, not wanting her thoughts to go down that avenue. _All I'm here for is information and I'm the only one who can get it from... _Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes darted to the far end of the alley. It was a dead end so there was only one way in and out of this area, if one was unaware of the defunct alarm on the doors behind Natsuki. A soft tapping had drawn her attention and now movement caught her eye. From the gloominess emerged a figure and she recognised that confident stride immediately.

Something lurched within her stomach and she cursed her own body's reaction as she took in the sight before her. Black shoes were the source of the tapping sound and she watched as they moved closer to her, her emerald eyes travelling upwards over long slim legs encased in dark tights. She reached the short skirt, which was of the same black as the rest of the uniform, moving upwards to skim over the corset wrapped around a petite waist. Her gaze lingered perhaps too long over the ample bosom beneath the blouse and Natsuki felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she averted her eyes to the collar tie and the black jacket. She finally looked up at the newcomer's elegant facial features; a cool, calm expression belying no emotion held behind it. Unusual crimson eyes, sparked with something Natsuki could never quite identify, stared directly at her, never once leaving her face as the other girl neared. Soft chestnut locks danced around her face as the breeze picked up and brushed against the pair.

She had expected the other girl; she had come here specifically to meet with her after all but she still couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped. The student council president always had that effect on her, no matter how much she pretended otherwise. The chestnut-haired beauty stopped directly in front of her, too far into her personal space for Natsuki's liking. It felt as though the air was getting thinner and she found it hard to draw in a full breath, her head spinning slightly at the proximity.

"Fujino," she managed to say, her tone curt.

Shizuru Fujino leaned in closer, one of her hands rising so she could press her palm against the wall beside Natsuki's head. The older girl brought her face nearer, halting only when they were mere inches apart. She stayed there, unmoving and silent for several long minutes and Natsuki found her body frozen. Why couldn't she move? Why did Shizuru have this kind of effect on her? One corner of Shizuru's full lips twitched upwards and a smirk slowly spread its way across her face, which only proved to add further to Natsuki's annoyance.

"Come now, I think we may call each other by something other than our family names, Natsuki," her name slipped from between those lips breathily and it sent a shiver down Natsuki's spine. Shizuru seemed to notice this reaction and leaned in even closer, her cheek slipping briefly against the other girl's as she lowered her lips to Natsuki's ear. "I'm glad you decided to come."

A shudder involuntarily passed through Natsuki as she felt the older girl's breath on her ear and heard that low purr. Another blush forced its way to her cheeks and she finally found the will to bring her arms up and push Shizuru back a little. Her strength had still not fully returned though and she only succeeded in shoving Shizuru back far enough for them to look into each other's eyes once more. "It's not what you think!" she protested. A perfectly shaped eyebrow quirked upwards and Natsuki let out a frustrated breath. "I just needed to talk to you."

The normal calm smile returned to Shizuru's face and the younger girl found that more worrying than the smirk. "Natsuki wishes to speak with me about Shiho Munakata?"

Natsuki nodded, acutely aware that Shizuru was not backing away at all. "So you know about earlier?"

One of Shizuru's eyebrows twitched upwards once before settling to its prior position. "Natsuki should know I'm aware of a lot of things within these grounds," Her voice was low and almost sensual when she spoke, proving to be quite distracting to the younger girl. After a few moments, Natsuki became aware of the other girl staring at her, almost expectantly. She looked back at her blankly. "Is that why Natsuki really came?"

The question confused her at first but then realisation settled in. "Of course!" She insisted, annoyed at how Shizuru had guided their conversation back to where it had already been. "Why do you always have to be like this?"

She flinched as she felt Shizuru's free hand on her shoulder. She glanced at it and watched as it lightly slid over her jacket and down her arm. She shivered when it came to rest on her waist, the lightest of touches causing her body to shudder. The other girl leant in once more, pressing her body against Natsuki's, causing her to hold her breath. "I know how Natsuki can get after a fight," she breathed.

Blood instantly rushed to Natsuki's cheeks and she opened her mouth to protest but no sounds emerged. Shizuru pulled back a little and her eyes glinted with amusement at the reaction she had caused. The younger girl continued to try to force out complaints, her lips twitching slightly with the effort. Without warning, Shizuru closed the gap between them and pressed her lips against Natsuki's, causing the other girl to gasp against her mouth.

All thought of protest quickly fled Natsuki's mind and she felt each of her muscles tense as the sensation of Shizuru's soft, full lips moving against hers consumed her. The hand at her waist pulled her body closer to the president's and the heat from it made her skin tingle. The kiss quickly deepened and she became aware of her mouth moving of its own accord as Shizuru's other hand buried itself in long raven strands.

Her heart thudded loudly in her chest and she huffed heavily through her nose when a teasing tongue brushed against her bottom lip, leaving her legs feeling weak. A low growl rose up from the back of her throat as she parted her lips, allowing Shizuru to caress her tongue with her own. She raised her arms and wrapped them around Shizuru's waist, attempting to bring their bodies closer, to feel more of that glorious heat, to lose herself in the softness of the other girl.

She felt herself being firmly pushed up against the door behind her and Shizuru's supple form crushing against hers, forcing the air from her lungs. Hands began to roam her curves and fingers found their way to her thigh, causing Natsuki to let out a whimper, which only proved to spur the other girl onwards. Shizuru explored Natsuki's mouth eagerly with her tongue as she pushed her fingers up under the hem of the younger girl's skirt, dragging her nails along the skin at the top of her leg.

Natsuki let out a gasp and the sudden surge of desire within her took her by surprise. She dropped a hand from its place behind Shizuru's back and grabbed the wandering arm at her thigh, causing the student council president to pull back from the kiss, an uncharacteristic look of surprise marring her features. Her breathing ragged and heavy, Natsuki tried to steady herself and clear the fogginess of her mind. How could one person have so much control over her body and mind? She clenched her jaw and Shizuru seemed to pick up on it as she pushed herself off the younger girl, withdrawing both hands from Natsuki's body. Natsuki missed the contact immediately but she was sure she'd never tell the other girl that. It was hard enough admitting it to herself.

"Damn it, Shizuru," she panted, her voice barely above a whisper. She pushed herself harder against the fire exit just to feel the reassuring solidity of it. Everything suddenly felt cloudy and incorporeal, much like a dream. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, catching the scent of the other girl that still hung in the air around her.

"So Natsuki uses my name after all," came the low purring response. The tone succeeded in flushing Natsuki's cheeks further and she turned her head to look down the alley, anywhere but at the other girl.

"Do you always have to do this to me?" She found herself asking, though she desperately wanted to escape the situation entirely. She glanced back at the president, noticing the walls had come back up and her expression was hard to read.

"I was under the impression Natsuki enjoyed it as much as I did," the words were oddly cool and without a trace of teasing, which brought Natsuki's head back round so she could look at her properly. Was it even possible that she'd upset the older girl? Could the great president of the student council be hurt? She couldn't tell from her expression but there was something behind those crimson eyes, something she couldn't quite place. They were always a mystery to her.

Choosing now to respond to that, Natsuki let out a puff of air before speaking. "What do you know about Shiho?" She asked curtly, trying to steer the topic to somewhere a bit more comfortable. Namely, a psychotic who was after her blood.

Shizuru turned away slightly, showing Natsuki only her profile, whilst she stared down the length of the alley. "If I didn't know better, I would think Natsuki is using me for information," her words were spoken evenly but there was an ice behind them that caused the younger girl to shiver.

"So you're not going to tell me?" She spat, attempting to ignore the dull ache that had begun to spread across her chest.

Shizuru's eyes found hers once more and, had she not been leaning against the building's fire exit already, she would have taken a step back. "Natsuki should worry about herself. She broke school rules by hitting that girl and the council does not look kindly upon violence," her tone conveyed the sharpness that glistened within her eyes.

Natsuki opened her mouth to hastily object but stopped herself. Shizuru was acting oddly, she had never been this way with her before and it was even harder to reason with her now. Usually, she'd be able to get some form of information out of her, even if it was almost useless. But now, she was being extremely guarded, and threatening her with disciplinary action was very uncharacteristic. Perhaps she really had upset Shizuru. She shook that thought from her mind. _To accept that would mean that Shizuru… no, I just can't believe that._

The faintest of sighs brought her attention back to the older girl and she looked up at the side of her face. "I suppose I can let Natsuki off with a warning," she said a little too quietly.

Natsuki's jaw clenched. She knew what was coming. "In exchange for what?" She asked, knowing full well what the other girl would ask for.

Shizuru turned to face her once more, tilting her head slightly. "You think to bribe me?" When Natsuki's brow furrowed and cheeks flushed, she smirked a little. "It is merely a warning, not a favour," with that said, she turned and began to walk up the alley.

Natsuki pushed herself off the door and jogged to catch up with the other girl and reached out to grab her upper arm, spinning the president slightly. Shizuru peered over her shoulder, an eyebrow arching upwards in surprise. Natsuki's actions had surprised even herself, not once had she gone after Shizuru before, she'd always allowed her to come to her. She faltered for a moment, trying to search for words before the silence got too awkward. "You… y-you're not going to tell me about Shiho then?"

She inwardly cursed her lack of imagination as she watched that eyebrow drop again. "It appears so," was all Shizuru said.

"I just…" She looked away slightly, avoiding that piercing crimson gaze. "I'd just like to know if I need to keep looking over my shoulder," she felt rather proud of that excuse. Even though it was half true, it was still a particularly good one on such short notice.

Natsuki looked back at Shizuru and noticed something flash through those blood red depths before it was gone again. The older girl turned back to face the exit of the alley but didn't move to walk away. She stood there a moment and Natsuki began to wonder if she'd heard her at all. "You need not worry about that," she murmured, her voice drifting away with the breeze.

"But…" Natsuki trailed off when she couldn't think of anything else to persuade Shizuru with. She wasn't particularly bad at thinking on her feet, especially not when it came to physical confrontations. But the norm was always shattered when it came to Shizuru.

"No harm will come to you while I am Student Council President, Natsuki," her voice held a firmness that ushered all thoughts from Natsuki's mind and she inwardly stammered over what had been said. When she was finally able to pull her thoughts together, Shizuru had already reached the entrance of the alley. She paused momentarily but didn't look back. And then she was gone.

Natsuki brought her hands up and wrapped them around herself, rubbing at her upper arms in an attempt to dispel the sudden chill she felt. _What could she have meant? It might have been nothing, she's very good at keeping the peace around here after all… but there was something in the way she said it. _Natsuki's mind attempted to make sense of what had just happened. Could it be possible that Shizuru felt for her? She shook her head. No. There was no way. She felt for nothing but being the most powerful presence in the academy.

Then why did her stomach flutter at the mere thought of it? Why did a tightness pull at her chest whenever she was near Shizuru? She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily. She didn't even know what it was the two of them had, she couldn't exactly call it a relationship as it was far from it. She still felt nothing more than a passing acquaintance to the student council president and she had believed that was how she liked it. They were rivals after all, but somehow that had pushed the pair of them together and now she couldn't see the line anymore. It was far too blurry now.

She kicked at the ground with one foot, sending dirt drifting up into the air. _What a mess,_ she thought. _Why can't everything be simple? _She sighed and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and trudged the same path Shizuru had just taken. Her mood dimmed even further when she realized she still had no information regarding Shiho's faction. Now she only had questions about far more complicated matters.

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END OF CHAPTER ONE

_**Author's Note: **__Well, there we go… end of the first chapter of my HiME Destiny fan fiction. What do you think? I just love the potential for Shizuru and Natsuki interaction in this __novel. And I doubt Sunrise will do much with it so I thought I would. Heh. So here we are. _

_I hadn't intended for this to be released so early but I wanted to cheer up someone special so, in essence, I wrote it for her. I just hope everyone else likes it as well. Heh. _

_Oh, and the plot may not be entirely clear right now but I was never one to rush that, I like to ease the reader in slowly. It may take a little while to catch up to the novel too but I'm sure people won't mind. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

**Note: **MysticOmega needed cheering up so I started writing the next chapter of Destiny Awaits! Thanks to my super-beta, Leebot.

**Timeline: **Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny Novels.

**Dedication: **For my li'l tiger.

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The Student Council President watched with slight amusement as a pair of cautious eyes scanned the room once before settling upon her, their depths filled with suspicion. It was like this every time and Shizuru knew it would be like this for many more to come. It was part of the newcomer's nature. She motioned for the owner of the wary eyes to enter the room before sitting up straight in her chair, folding her hands together on the desk in front of her.

"I'm glad you could make it, Akira-kun," she greeted the other student, their boy's uniform rustling slightly as they sat upon her desk. She ignored the rude gesture and let her eyes wander over the long black braided ponytail and up into those orbs once more.

Akira Okuzaki. Shizuru knew quite a few things about the young student that the rest of the student body didn't. For one, the underclassman was, in fact, a girl and not a boy as her uniform suggested. She'd been in disguise for the entire time she'd been attending the academy and Shizuru was the only one who knew of her true identity. Ever since she had seen the boyish student, she had known something wasn't quite right about her but it had taken her a while to find the opportunity to test her theory.

Akira could be quite hostile when she wanted to be though, and she hadn't reacted well when Shizuru had proposed a little arrangement between the pair. She would keep her secret, if the younger girl would become her eyes where she could not always see. It hadn't taken long to persuade Akira and Shizuru suspected that was because she didn't want her secret exposed quite desperately. Why she felt the need to pretend to be male was not for Shizuru to know, though she often wondered what her motivation could be.

The dark ponytail disappeared over a shoulder as Akira turned to look down at the President, a hand rising to adjust the glasses that sat upon her nose. "As if I had much of a choice," she muttered, her voice deep and stern.

Shizuru quirked an eyebrow at the younger student, a small smile playing on her lips. "Of course you do, I would not force you to do anything you did not wish to."

A snort was her only reply and Akira crossed her arms over her chest, turning her head away from Shizuru in a defiant gesture. Shizuru allowed her these small acts so she could feel a little control but the President knew she'd do as she was asked when it came down to it. She even found the little actions to be amusing as she knew them to be practically harmless, just as long as she didn't do them in front of the other students. Which, of course, she never did as that would reveal the link between them. Neither girl wanted that.

"Shall we get down to business then?" Shizuru asked, her tone showing clearly that it wasn't a question.

Akira faced the President once more, her features softening to a neutral expression and her eyes turning serious. At least Shizuru could rely on her to be professional when she needed to be. Lifting her hands to clasp them in front of her, Shizuru rested her chin on them, her eyes never leaving Akira's. She was answered with a curt nod.

"Good. Now, what have you heard regarding Munakata-san and Kuga-san?" she asked, her voice betraying no connection she held with the latter. She spoke her name with the same cold, calm tone as she had the former girl's.

She noticed Akira's eyebrow twitch ever so slightly as she thought and she resisted the urge to comment on it. Now was not the time for teasing, no matter how fun it might be. "I seem to remember there being a lot of activity revolving around this Munakata. She's up to something, that's certain, and her group have been getting more vocal lately. I didn't even know they existed until they started spouting some garbage about her ruling the school at some point." She paused, seemingly lost in thought again as she went over the facts in her mind.

Deciding now would be a good time to interject, Shizuru lifted her head from her hands. "Who are the members of her group?"

Akira was brought out of her inner search by the question and she appeared to consider it. "A few girls from the year above me. I don't socialise with them so I don't know them particularly well. I believe a few boys are also part of the group but I haven't seen much from them. Shiho keeps herself hidden away for the most part as well."

Shizuru couldn't help but smirk at that point. "Do you socialise with any girls, Akira-kun?"

She watched in amusement as the other girl's mouth opened and closed repeatedly but emitted no sound. After a few seconds had passed, she clamped it shut and glared at the President. "They do not interest me, what would I have to speak to them about?" she managed to say in reply eventually.

A low chuckle rose from Shizuru's throat. "Oh come now, a pretty boy like you shouldn't keep himself away from all the ladies." She added in a wink for a extra effect and smiled when a blush crept its way across Akira's cheeks.

"You… I… bah!" Akira returned to the previous position of crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from Shizuru.

The smile dropped from the President's face in an instant, as she grew serious again. "And of Kuga-san?" she questioned, causing the other girl to peer at her from the corner of her eye.

She was silent for several moments as they regarded one another. Shizuru wondered what the younger girl could be thinking and if she was asking herself why the Student Council President would be interested in such a student. If Akira had been pondering that, she didn't voice it. "Not too much there, but I did hear an interesting story from yesterday," she replied, something glinting within her brown eyes as she spoke. Perhaps amusement.

Shizuru raised her eyebrows slightly in curiosity. "Oh?" she asked as she leaned back in her chair. Was Akira referring to the incident Natsuki had mentioned yesterday afternoon?

The other student pushed herself off the desk and turned to face Shizuru fully, leaning her hands on the surface of the table as she leant forward a little. "This might be related to Munakata actually as two girls who associate with her were involved in a little incident with Kuga in the locker rooms. Apparently, they had an argument and one of the girls slapped Kuga right across the face." Shizuru felt a discomforting feeling begin to swirl in her stomach as Akira let out a short laugh. "Credit to Kuga though, she punched the girl right back. That's all I've heard though."

"I see," Shizuru said distractedly, trying to ignore the rising need to find those girls immediately and correct the mistake they had made. She couldn't afford to give in to such carnal desires. That was no way for a President of the Student Council to behave. "Thank you, Akira-kun."

Akira leaned forwards further, her eyes narrowing slightly as she moved. "What's your interest in her?" her question took Shizuru by surprise but she covered it quickly with a false smile.

"That is a Student Council matter," she stated simply, as though it was obvious. Akira scowled at her and pulled back, straightening her lithe form and lifting her chin in another defiant gesture.

"You mean you don't want to talk about it. Fine," she waved a hand dismissively but Shizuru knew she was curious. The façade didn't fool her. She found people all too easy to read.

Shizuru also stood, bringing herself to her full height and she could see Akira eye her warily for a moment, as if she was unsure what the President would do next. "That will be all. When I require your services again I shall contact you in the usual manner," she said with an air of finality that stopped Akira from responding at all.

The Student Council President watched as the boyish student turned and walked out of the room, each movement holding a hidden grace and power that Shizuru could notice quite easily. She had spent many years looking for the little details in people's actions and words. Still, some people remained somewhat a mystery to her and those tended to intrigue her the most. Such as a certain raven-haired student. She didn't withhold the smile that came to her lips at the memory of the girl.

Quickly regaining control of her mask once more, she pulled the veil of calm over herself, focusing on the tasks at hand. There was much to be done, as usual and she had no time for personal reflection, whether that was enjoyable reflection or not. She glanced down at her desk, noting the pile of paperwork that taunted her there. She didn't have the inclination for deskwork right now, she needed to be walking somewhere, doing some pro-active. It would also help her think about things and she could decide the Council's next move, her next move.

She grabbed her set of keys from a desk drawer and moved to the door, quickly slipping outside and locking it behind her. One could never be too careful in the current climate of things. One could never be too careful, period. She prided herself on preparing for the unexpected and she certainly didn't intend to ignore that particular talent now. As she walked along the corridor, she went over her options. She could confront the Munakata group now but she preferred to wait until she knew their plans and motivations. She briefly considered checking up on Natsuki but decided against that as well, the other girl would not appreciate the gesture and would probably be pretty hostile towards her. Not that she particularly minded, the games they played were rather fun but they did get tiresome at times.

She paused at the end of the corridor, her gaze following the row of windows and falling upon a group of girls who were chatting idly together. She wondered why they weren't in class and she inwardly sighed when she realised she'd have to find out. She didn't need the distraction right now, there were more pressing matters to attend. However, it was still her duty as a Student Council member to ensure the student body was satisfied and learning to the best of their abilities. Therefore, she had to deal with this. She straightened her jacket for a moment before moving towards the group of girls.

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Natsuki stared down glumly at the food on the plate before her. It looked dull and inedible to her and she really didn't feel all that hungry. She wasn't sure if that was because of her own need for sustenance of because of the unpalatable look of the meal though. She let out a quiet sigh, lifting her gaze from the table and scanning the common room, her eyes passing over the giggling girls at one table and the boisterous group of boys at another. She failed to see what they were so happy about though.

A slight bustling of activity from across the room caught her attention and she looked over to see a group of students enter. Her eyes narrowed when she recognised the blonde and brunette girls with them. The last thing she needed right now was another confrontation, she would be sure to have the Student Council all over her. She shuffled uncomfortably as her mind took that thought to disturbing places. Hoping to make a hasty exit, she left her meal where it was and stood, turning to head for the opposite doorway to the one the group of students had used.

After taking a few steps towards the door, a figure moved in front of her, blocking her escape route. She frowned at the newcomer, instantly recognising the short red hair and mischievous green eyes. "Nao," she said quietly, hoping not to draw the attention of the other students.

The slightly shorter girl looked directly at her, a grin spreading across her face. "Kuga, just the girl I was looking for!" she cooed a little louder than was acceptable. Natsuki cringed at the words and she knew she was being baited.

She dared not turn around and instead focused all her attention on the irritating redhead before her, her eyes narrowing into a glare. "What do you want?" she forced through clenched teeth, attempting to keep her temper under control.

This only proved to amuse Nao further and her grin widened. "Do I need an excuse to say hello to a fellow student?" she said all too cheerfully. She sidled up next to Natsuki and slipped an arm over her shoulders causing the older girl to stiffen abruptly. _What is she playing at?_ Natsuki always had trouble figuring out Nao's motivations. All she could conclude was she liked to get a rise out of Natsuki.

"If you want to leave with it attached, I'd suggest getting your arm off of me," Natsuki growled, keeping her gaze levelly ahead. She knew if she looked at the other girl, she was likely to lose her temper completely.

To her chagrin, Natsuki heard a low chuckle reverberate from the girl beside her. "You like it that much?" Nao taunted but, to Natsuki's relief, she did move away from her, freeing her of the unwanted contact.

Natsuki let out a short snort of air before stepping forwards, ignoring the smug expression on Nao's face. It seemed fate was not on her side, however, as when she reached the door another voice rung out through the common room.

"Natsuki Kuga."

Natsuki froze, her hand hovering above the door handle. Her name had been spoken with a commanding tone yet she could hear the contempt held beneath it. She turned slowly, noticing that the group of students that had recently entered had dissipated slightly and now a group of four girls stood in the middle of the room staring at her. The two girls from the locker room from the previous day were part of the group, as well as a taller girl with long blonde hair and a short girl with red double pigtails.

"Great…" she muttered under her breath, knowing that she wouldn't get the easy escape she had hoped for.

The two girls she already knew stepped forwards, the blonde sporting a rather dark blue bruise along the left side of her jaw. Natsuki had to hold back a smirk at the sight of it; the last thing she needed to do right now was to provoke them. She forced a somewhat pleasant expression on her face, although she was pretty certain it would look odd on her. She wasn't known for her pleasant demeanour, after all.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked, forcing the derision from her voice as best she could.

The blonde glared at her, her lips drawn into a thin line. Her eyebrows quaked slightly for the few moments before she spoke and Natsuki wondered if they always did that before she thought. "You think we'd just let you get away with what you did?" she spat, the brunette beside her nodding in unison with the words.

Natsuki's eyes narrowed in response and just as she was about to shoot back a cutting remark that would surely bring about another fight, Nao stepped in front of her, placing herself between Natsuki and the two girls. The dark-haired girl blinked in surprise, eyeing the redhead suspiciously for a moment.

"Oh, if it isn't Annoying Minion One and Annoying Minion Two, what a pleasant surprise," Nao muttered and Natsuki could practically hear the smirk in her voice. "I would have loved to have seen you slap Kuga across the face but I fear the mere presence of you would have annoyed me so much I would have pummelled you two long before then."

The two girls hesitated and looked between Nao and Natsuki before glancing at one another. Natsuki guessed they didn't like it when the odds were more balanced. Not that she would have had any problems taking on the both of them, but she wasn't too sure how she'd fair against four of them. Her eyes were drawn to the oldest girl with pigtails behind the pair when the blonde and brunette looked back at her, as if for reassurance. Was that Shiho? If so, she would have to speak with her if she wanted to resolve this issue. Speak with her or kick her ass across the school. Either would suit her just fine.

The pony-tailed brunette turned back at looked pointedly at Nao. "Our fight isn't with you Nao Yuuki. What reason have you to protect _her_?" she spoke the last word with such disdain, Natsuki was beginning to wonder if she'd personally insulted her in some way in the past. She was sure she'd remember that though.

Nao brought a hand to her hip and tilted her head a little. "What makes you think I'm protecting her? I just like pissing people off and you seem as good a person to irritate as any," she explained matter-of-factly. Natsuki rolled her eyes at the answer, not surprised at it at all. She had suspected that for a long time anyway.

The response didn't seem to please the other girls either and their expressions darkened slightly. "Have it your way. We'll just go through you," the blonde sneered, her small hands clenching tightly as she took a step forwards.

A mocking laugh filled the common room and Natsuki looked back to Nao to see her shaking slightly with her mirth. "You have got to be kidding," she managed through her laughter. This just appeared to aggravate the small blonde further and her face reddened with anger. "Oh yes, I can just see you defeating me single-handedly."

Natsuki couldn't help but chuckle a little at Nao's cutting words and the reactions they caused. Not only was the blonde's face getting redder by the second but the brunette seemed to be shaking a little too. She knew that things were building up to something more physical but she couldn't quite decide whether to leave Nao to her fate or to step in. She watched as the blonde lurched forwards towards Nao, arms outstretched and eyes widened with rage. _That girl has serious anger issues, _she found herself thinking.

Nao easily sidestepped her attack, the smirk still planted firmly on her face. The blonde flailed slightly as she tried to stop herself from tumbling to the floor. When she managed to balance herself, she turned and glared at Nao once more. The smirking redhead had turned her attention to the brunette who had tried to grab her from behind. As she struggled with the arms around her neck, Natsuki noticed the blonde stalking forwards. She let out a small sigh as she realised she'd have to do something after all. Nao had stepped in for her sake after all, even if it was indirectly.

In the blink of an eye, she focused her inherent powers, closing her eyes as the familiar cool weights appeared in her hands. She stepped forwards at the same time, feeling the icy surge of energy flow down her arms as she lifted her right one, aiming a sleek, silver pistol at the blonde. "Hold it right there," she warned with a low growl as she opened her eyes. The shorter girl whirled around, shock evident on her face as she stared down the barrel of Natsuki's summoned weapon.

She looked over at Nao in time to see the brunette tumble several feet backwards and crumple to the floor with a clatter. The redhead smirked back at Natsuki. "I figured if you could use yours, then I didn't want to be left out," she explained and Natsuki realised she was referring to her telekinetic powers. Natsuki shrugged at her and glanced at the quivering blonde in front of her.

"I've had enough of this. I want answers," she said coolly as the blonde took a step backwards. The other girl opened her mouth to speak but only a small squeak could be heard and Natsuki wondered if she'd gone too far with her intimidation. She couldn't be blamed for the cowardice of others though. She frowned at the blonde further, an eyebrow arching upwards in expectation which only proved to further fluster the girl.

Just as Natsuki was about to bark another order at her unresponsive target, a high-pitched, piercing sound rang out around the room. The raven-haired student instinctively held her hands to her ears, ignoring the fact that she held a pair of guns in them. The noise felt as though its was perforating her eardrum and she grimaced with the pain. She forced her eyes open to hurriedly scan the room for the source of the sound, her gaze falling upon the pigtailed redhead. The girl she assumed was Shiho was holding some strange device in her hand and was rotating it with the other hand in what could only be described as a maniacal manner. The other occupants of the room seemed to be in the same state of discomfort as Natsuki was.

A burning sensation began to fill her ears and she shakily tried to take a step backwards but found herself stumbling. She quickly regained her balance, bracing her legs apart slightly so she wouldn't fall. She clenched her teeth together and just as she was about to start shooting blindly in Shiho's general direction, the noise stopped. Natsuki let out a ragged breath, her ears still ringing but the pain easing. She glared at Shiho who was smiling in a somewhat disturbing manner back at her.

"Now that I have everyone's attention," the redhead said dramatically, sweeping an arm through the air to emphasise her words. "I'll tell you exactly what you want to know, Kuga."

The words seemed distorted to Natsuki and she only just made them out over the buzzing in her ears. She shook her head slight, which only proved to make the throbbing in her head worse. "I assume you're Shiho," she growled, her voice low from the pain.

The other girl nodded, a smug grin on her face now. "And you're Natsuki Kuga, leader of a massive group of one," Shiho said with a chuckle.

Natsuki's fingers twitched, her jaw jutting forwards slightly in agitation. "The size of my faction isn't important," she retorted, her voice shaking a little from a mixture of anger and discomfort. She contemplated just shooting Shiho but it appeared she had her own ability and it was quite powerful. She needed to wait for the right moment to act.

Shiho snorted. "Unless of course you've started actually recruiting," she said, pointedly looking at Nao who gave her an incredulous look and began shaking her head. "I didn't think so."

"I'm obviously big enough of a threat for you to come after me," Natsuki spat, stalling for time as she tried to work out how she was going to get out of this situation. She was outnumbered but that didn't necessarily mean she had no hope of winning. Besides, these girls didn't appear to be experienced anyway, apart from Shiho. Her control over her powers, even if a little crazy-looking, was quite impressive and Natsuki knew better than to underestimate her opponents.

The redhead opposite her let out a mocking laugh, her pigtails bouncing around her head as she did so. "Is that what you think?" she managed between bouts of laughter. "Oh dear, Kuga, you poor girl."

Natsuki's eyes narrowed as she tightened her grip on her pistols, resisting the urge to just shoot and to hell with the consequences. "What the heck do you hope to accomplish then?" she asked with another low growl, her patience wearing thinner by the second.

The expression on Shiho's face became suddenly serious and Natsuki found herself wondering if she wasn't entirely stable. She'd heard rumours, after all. "Apart from the pleasure of removing you, you're the smallest faction, it's only logical to wipe out the weak first," she said matter-of-factly and in a manner that caused a shiver to creep down Natsuki's spine. "How you survived for this long eludes me."

Natsuki's arm twitched as she instantly raised one of her pistols level with Shiho's head, her eyes narrowing to thin slits. "If you think me so weak, let us see who leaves this room intact."

A grin spread across Shiho's face at her words and she lifted the strange object in her hand a little, as if it was a weapon. Just as Natsuki was about to apply pressure to the trigger of her pistol, a noise from behind her caused her to spin on her heel. The doors to the common room flew open and a red-faced boy burst through them, his short black hair in disarray. He scanned the room quickly and seemed to find what he was searching for when his eyes halted upon Shiho.

"Suzushiro is coming!" were the breathless words to hurriedly leave his mouth in a somewhat high-pitched tone.

The message seemed to force the room into a panic and Natsuki glanced around the room in surprise. Shiho and her group had already retreated to the opposite side of the room and the other students were seemingly trying to look as innocent as possible at their tables. Nao merely stood, hand on hip, smirking at the raven-haired girl. Natsuki rolled her eyes in response and decided it was probably a good idea to make herself scarce as well. The last thing she wanted was to be privy to one of Haruka's hour-long lectures. She released her grip on her pistols and they fell back out of existence, disappearing in an instant.

She quickly headed for the doors the boy had stormed through, hoping to slip out before Haruka arrived. She peered back at Nao just as she reached them but she hadn't moved. Was she really going to just stand there with the Secretary General of the Student Council en route? She didn't have time nor the compunction to think about it so she just nodded a quick acknowledgement to the other girl and slipped into the corridor, pleased to find that there was no sign of the rambunctious blonde. She quickly turned right and disappeared around the corner, breathing a slight sigh of relief when she was farther away from the common room.

Her body tingled from the encounter and the adrenaline that had built up had not had a chance to be released. She felt slightly restless as she walked down corridor after corridor. Her mind was just as restless as well and she couldn't really figure out Shiho. It irked her that anyone would think her weak but she was certain she wouldn't go down without a fight. Even outnumbered as she was, she would take as many of them down with her, if it came down to that. As for Shiho herself, she seemed to dislike Natsuki on a personal level but the two had never interacted before, to the best of her knowledge.

She heaved a sigh, deciding it was best to not try and decipher insanity. She'd probably end up driving herself crazy in the process. Natsuki clenched and relaxed her fists repeatedly as she walked, trying to expend some of the pent up energy within her. This always happened after a fight, whether it be a normal one or a MiKO battle, it was all the same to her. Her body seemed to crave something after each one. She froze in place as she realised where her feet had taken her.

Natsuki blinked several times as she stared at the door in front of her. She cursed her subconscious for bringing her here. Why couldn't her body listen to her mind? Her arm lifted itself and she watched as her clenched fist neared the wooden door in front of her. This would only lead to one thing and she wasn't sure if she was comfortable with that, if she had ever been. Yet, here she was, knocking and waiting for an answer. It seemed her body had won that internal battle once again.

END OF CHAPTER TWO

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_**Author's Notes: **__I think this chapter is a little shorter than the previous but it seemed like a good place to end it. The next scene might end up taking up quite a bit of space so I'll leave it for chapter three. Oh, and I must apologise for taking so long with an update, I really have been lacking in inspiration as of late. That is, I have the ideas I suppose but I just have problems writing them down. I hope that problem eases. I've also been pretty busy so I'll try and squeeze in my writing time whenever I can. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

**Note: **So it's been rather a long time since I updated, but I have very good reasons (read: excuses) for that. Actually, I do. But at least I'm writing again.

**Timeline: **Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny Novels.

**Dedication: **For my Li'l Tiger.

--

"Fujino," Natsuki greeted bluntly as the door swung open. Her eyes immediately rested upon the slender image of Shizuru in a long, white silk robe, her hair damp and clinging to her neck as she looked back in surprise at her. Natsuki swallowed hard at the sight, all the thoughts that had been swirling in her mind instantly fleeing, and she found herself speechless.

"Natsuki," the other woman said in such a soft tone that Natsuki almost missed her name being spoken at all. She'd never heard Shizuru speak like that before and she wondered if she'd interrupted something. The thought gripped at her chest and made her feel uncomfortable. "Please, come in."

Shizuru stepped aside and held the door open for her guest, allowing the younger girl to move inside before she closed it quietly. Natsuki glanced around the room and was relieved to find the Kaichou was alone. She looked back at Shizuru, who now had her back against the door and was regarding her with an amused expression. "What?" she questioned, her tone curt.

She was met only with a secretive smile, which irked her a little, as it always did. Shizuru was good at keeping information from others and making them intensely curious about it, even if it was a minor thing. They stood staring at one another for a while, and Natsuki became increasingly uncomfortable under that unwavering crimson gaze. After a few more moments, Shizuru spoke. "I've been expecting you."

Natsuki's brow furrowed at the other girl's words. How could she possibly have been expecting her? Was she that predictable? She found the latter question to be far more worrying than the former. Then again, perhaps Shizuru had expected her to come looking for information. She was, after all, well informed when it came to events around the academy and she was almost certain to have heard of what had happened between her and Shiho. Her mind drifted back to what she had said the previous day, and she felt a blush creep up at Shizuru's referral to how Natsuki could get after a fight. She had never really thought about it before that day but there did appear to be a pattern. Whenever she had been involved in an altercation, she had always found her way here afterwards. Was that why she was here now?

"Suzushiro-san was kind enough to report the details to me," Shizuru interrupted Natsuki's thoughts, bringing her attention back to the Kaichou. "I am glad to see you weren't harmed today."

Natsuki eyed her for a moment, trying to see the truth in her words, but she could never tell fact from fiction when it came to this woman. "So I guess you know I had a fight with Munakata, eh?" she found herself asking.

Wet locks of hair flicked around Shizuru's face as she nodded. "Do I have to tell you it is against academy rules to fight on the grounds?" Shizuru asked as she took a step forwards, her eyes never once leaving Natsuki's.

Natsuki let out a quick snort and waved a hand dismissively. "She started it. Besides, I didn't come here for a lecture," she stated, irritation creeping into her voice.

"Oh?" Shizuru moved forward once more and stopped right in front of the other girl, so close that Natsuki could feel her body heat. "Then why did you come?" her voice dropped as she spoke and Natsuki couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine.

She opened her mouth to reply but couldn't find the words; her mind had completely dumped all coherent thought and she was left floundering. From Shizuru's suggestive tone, it was obvious she knew why Natsuki had come, even if the younger girl hadn't realised it herself. That was another thing that irked her: that the Kaichou seemed to know her better than she did herself. "What do you mean?" she managed to stutter out once she had regained a little composure.

Shizuru tilted her head to one side slightly, an eyebrow quirking upwards at the same time. "You haven't come here for no reason, Natsuki. If it's not to talk about the earlier incident, then what?" she questioned, even though her eyes told the younger girl that she already knew the answer.

Natsuki took in a few measured breaths, trying to ignore the sensations swirling within her body. Shizuru was intoxicatingly close and she knew she'd have to get away from her if she had any hope of formulating a half-decent answer. Yet, she didn't move. "Um…"

Shizuru leaned in even closer, causing Natsuki's skin to tingle and her breathing to hitch. "It couldn't be that Natsuki actually enjoys my company, could it?" she almost purred and there was a slight teasing edge to her tone now.

Natsuki's brow knitted as she tried to pull together a few thoughts to aid her. "Of course not," she muttered irritably.

The sensation of Shizuru's fingertips fluttering lightly against her shoulder through the fabric of her clothes caused a shiver to pass through her. The fingers continued their journey down her arm torturously slowly, and Natsuki could feel the heat rising up from her stomach to her chest. She glanced at the hand and then back at Shizuru's face, acutely aware of how red her cheeks must be by now, but that was soon forgotten when she saw the burning desire in those crimson eyes. Her mind blanked and all that was left was the knotted sensation in her gut and the fire burning just beneath her skin.

Without a single thought, Natsuki reached out with both hands, grabbing Shizuru by the shoulders and twisting her around, giving her an abrupt shove towards the bed. In the time it took the Kaichou to land with her back against the bed, Natsuki was upon her, impatient lips finding the taller woman's quickly. Natsuki barely registered the uncharacteristic look of surprise on Shizuru's face but a small part of her took satisfaction in that.

A low moan reached Natsuki's ears as her lips moved fervently against Shizuru's and she grabbed haphazardly at her robe. She was now straddling the other woman's hips and she could feel a hand slide over her shoulder before slipping into her hair. Her senses honed in on the heat of the body between her thighs and the need to feel more of it against her rose up within her quickly. She shifted slightly as she brushed her tongue across full lips, pushing her hips in between Shizuru's legs, causing the other woman to groan into her mouth.

The tugging on her hair only caused her to deepen the kiss before she dipped her tongue between Shizuru's lips, her hands roaming over the fabric of the robe. She quickly pulled it open and pressed her palms against the bared flesh of Shizuru's chest, causing the other woman to arch up against slender fingers. The pounding in her ears increased in pace along with her breathing as she brushed her fingertips across the curve of Shizuru's breast, the need to be touching her building further.

She felt fingers slip under the collar of her jacket and slide it over her shoulders, so she helped shrug it off, hastily discarding it to the side before those fingers dropped to the hem of her shirt. She ignored that for the time being, refusing to stop what she was doing in order to aid Shizuru in her endeavour. Natsuki slid her tongue over Shizuru's, their tongues meeting in a heated dance as she pushed her hips against the other woman's, causing her to buck up against them. Her shirt was roughly pushed upwards and cool fingers found the skin of her back, sliding across it slowly.

Natsuki broke the kiss and ducked down to press her lips to Shizuru's neck; the scent of that inviting skin causing her mind to cloud further as she lost herself to the rocking of their bodies. The grip on her hair tightened and fingernails grazed across her scalp and back, urging her to push her hips against Shizuru with more force. The other woman's breaths were ragged now, mingled with short moans. She brushed her tongue across the curve of Shizuru's neck, tasting the skin there. Her nerves prickled, the sliding of skin against skin causing them to become more sensitive to Shizuru's touches.

Seemingly sensing this, Shizuru slipped her hand around to brush her fingertips across Natsuki's stomach, causing her rocking to falter for a moment. Her muscles tensed beneath Shizuru's fingers and she slid her own hand over the peak of the other woman's breast, cupping it lightly. Shizuru arched up against her further and she couldn't help but smirk against her neck at the knowledge of how she could affect the normally calm Kaichou.

She ceased her rocking and pulled back, panting a little as she looked down at Shizuru with heavily lidded eyes. Shizuru peered back up at her, biting down lightly on her bottom lip, and Natsuki's breath caught in her throat at how she looked in that moment. She was both so beautiful and so vulnerable. Those crimson eyes dropped to her shirt, joining her hands at the hem of it, and Natsuki finally complied with the unspoken wish, allowing Shizuru to remove the garment. It landed in a crumpled heap beside the bed, but she didn't much care about that. She allowed her gaze to sweep downwards over Shizuru's body, shifting her own slightly to straddle one of her legs instead.

She placed her palm flatly against Shizuru's sternum, letting the heat of the woman's skin warm her hand further before slowly sliding it downwards. She could feel Shizuru's eyes upon her but she didn't tear her own gaze away from the descent of her hand. Brushing her fingers lightly across the skin of the other woman's stomach, she smirked as muscles tensed beneath them and a hand found her thigh, gripping it slightly. She paused her movements, fingertips hovering just above dark curls and she picked up on Shizuru's breath catching in her throat.

"Natsuki…" came Shizuru's whispered plea.

Natsuki glanced up at flushed features and darkened crimson eyes. There was such a need burning within them that it caused all thought to leave her and she found herself staring dumbly for several long moments. She could feel a blush rise to her cheeks as that intense look seared into her and it was if she was laid bare to Shizuru. As if the Kaichou could see everything that she was in that instance. She felt a fear churning in her stomach and the urge to flee but she paid no heed to it; she couldn't. The need for this woman was too much; she had to satiate it.

Natsuki let out a sharp gasp as she felt Shizuru's thigh press against her, causing a shock of desire to pulse in the pit of her stomach. Any sense of hesitation disappeared instantly and her body took over. She slid her hand over dampened curls, pressing her fingertips against Shizuru and eliciting a low moan from her. Slipping a finger between her lips, Natsuki's breathing quickened as she felt the wetness there, proof of the other woman's need for her. And she wasn't about to withhold anything now. She needed to be pushing Shizuru over the edge just as much as she wanted the Kaichou to be doing the same to her.

She rocked slowly against Shizuru's thigh as she leant on one arm, hovering over the other woman and watching the slightest changes in her expression. Natsuki ran the tip of her middle finger along Shizuru's lips before flicking it once across the small bundle of nerves nestled between them. She watched as Shizuru's brow furrowed and she turned her head to the side, her hips bucking upwards abruptly. The movement caused the other woman to press her thigh more firmly against Natsuki and she found it hard to focus on what she was doing; the sensations coursing through her making her lose herself to the rocking of their bodies.

She shook her head slightly in an attempt to gain some control back, at least long enough to finish what she had started. She slipped her middle finger downward, pausing for only a moment before thrusting it into Shizuru. She watched as full lips parted to let a short gasp slip past them. Muscles tightened briefly around her finger, causing her stomach to lurch in response and her pulse to quicken, urging her to pull out and slip back in with more force. The pace of their rocking increased and the heat of their bodies rose with each thrust of her hand.

She could feel the need building within Shizuru. She could see it from the way the bucking of her hips became more erratic and how her fingers clutched at the bed sheets. Natsuki bit down on her bottom lip as she watched the flush spread from Shizuru's cheeks down her neck and across her chest. She could feel her own wetness on the other woman's thigh now and she knew it wouldn't take much more to completely lose control. It was tempting to pull away so she could focus on the Kaichou but she wanted that release too. She needed it.

Natsuki shifted and lowered herself onto her elbow, leaning down so she could press her lips to Shizuru's neck, feeling her pulse quickening just beneath the skin. She slipped a second finger into the older woman, curling her fingers slightly to brush the tips of them against her front wall; moans intermingled with ragged breaths reaching her ears. Her own hips were losing their rhythm now and she had a difficult time keeping an even pace with her hand. Focusing as much as possible, she pushed into Shizuru with added speed and force, bringing her ever closer to that precipice, wanting to tip her over and fall with her.

Shizuru whimpered quietly and Natsuki could tell she was biting down on her bottom lip, perhaps to stop herself from calling out. She wanted to make her do that, to take all of Shizuru's control from her and have her completely at her mercy. A part of her felt triumphant at being the only person to break that stony façade but none of that mattered at that moment. All she cared for was the release.

She grazed her teeth across Shizuru's neck, causing another whimper to rise from the other woman's throat. Natsuki barely heard it though, the sensations building in the pit of her stomach drowning out her other senses. Her movements became fevered, desperate. She caressed her fingertips against Shizuru's front wall repeatedly, feeling the muscles squeeze her fingers as the other woman took in a sharp breath and tensed. She felt Shizuru arch up against her, her thigh pressing against her abruptly in the process, pushing her the little distance she needed to go in order to gain her much-needed release.

Natsuki squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on the curve of Shizuru's neck as shudders passed through her body, waves of pleasure setting her nerves alight. She was vaguely aware of nails pressed against her back but she felt no pain from Shizuru's tight hold on her. She let out a shuddered moan as her body relaxed and she slumped against the woman beneath her, listening to the sound of Shizuru's breaths coming in short, quick spurts.

They lay there silently for a while, neither of them moving. Natsuki's mind slowly became clearer, but she forced the inevitable flood of thoughts back for the time being, fearing the questions they would bring. She carefully slipped her fingers out of Shizuru, hearing her gasp softly as she did so. Natsuki lifted herself somewhat awkwardly so she could see the Kaichou's face, intently gazing at her features for signs of her thoughts.

Shizuru's brow was still slightly furrowed and she didn't look directly at Natsuki, which the younger girl thought strange. Shizuru didn't usually lack for confidence but something seemed to be troubling her now. Natsuki glanced down at her hand, seeing Shizuru's wetness coating her fingers. She had the urge to slip them into her mouth but resisted it, not wanting to give Shizuru the satisfaction. That thought alone disturbed her on several levels. She looked back up at the other woman's flushed features.

She had the distinct feeling Shizuru wouldn't find that kind of satisfaction from her doing such a thing. It wouldn't be a sort of victory to her. Natsuki wasn't sure why the realisation hit her now but it also made her wonder why she didn't want to allow Shizuru those little moments of triumph either. If she was here with her now, she must feel something for her. So perhaps they weren't enemies. _Dammit, why haven't I ever thought about this before? What the hell do I feel anyway? _Denial was such an ugly thing and she wished she was still deeply embroiled in its safety at that moment.

Feeling a questioning gaze upon her, she shook the thoughts from her mind and looked into those crimson eyes. There was something different about them now, as if she could see something that was hidden before, but she wasn't sure what. Natsuki clenched her jaw, feeling vulnerable now, as though Shizuru could read her thoughts. A hand on her forearm made her flinch slightly and she glanced down to see Shizuru lightly grasping it.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru whispered her name for the third time that day but the tone was different this time. There was something to it that she'd never heard in that voice before. Something that both worried and intrigued Natsuki.

"W-what?" she asked with uncertainty.

Shizuru didn't respond, she just lay there looking up at her and Natsuki saw, for the first time, fear in those eyes. _Why would she be..? _Her thoughts trailed off when Shizuru closed her eyes and lifted herself to a sitting position before looking at her once more, all hints of the previous emotions within them gone. Natsuki wondered if she'd merely imagined it. As the other woman picked up her robe and wrapped it around herself once more, Natsuki shifted backwards and away from Shizuru, feeling somewhat exposed now.

She glanced around and leaned over the side of the bed, picking up her shirt and slipping it over her head. It did nothing to relieve the chill that brushed across her skin now though. Settling into a kneeling position on the bed, she rested her hands on her thighs to stop from fidgeting with anything else and giving away how uncomfortable she felt. Though, she was sure Shizuru would be able to pick up on that anyway.

"I… uh…" she mumbled, unsure of what to say now. Anything she could think of just seemed incredibly awkward. It was always like this after their trysts.

Shizuru slipped off the bed and stood with her back to Natsuki. "It's alright, Natsuki, I know small talk isn't your forte."

"I wasn't trying to—" she stopped herself from saying anything more, knowing Shizuru would only turn it around on her. Besides, she knew she was right. She lifted herself off the bed as well, peering at Shizuru out of the corner of her eye to see if she would turn, which she didn't.

"I suppose you'll be going now?" came Shizuru's calm voice. It was more of a statement than a question.

Natsuki felt a pang of guilt pull at her heart but also a sense of relief. Shizuru was giving her an easy way out, but she wasn't entirely sure why. Perhaps she felt just as uncomfortable as Natsuki did. She decided not to ponder on it too much though and, instead, picked up her jacket but didn't bother putting it on. She walked around the bed and stood a few feet away from Shizuru, staring at her back for a few moments.

"Well..?" Shizuru's quiet voice broke the silence.

"I… guess so," she muttered, the pang of guilt growing. _What the heck do I have to feel guilty about anyway? _She thought to herself irritably.

"Natsuki can show herself out," the tone was growing increasingly cold and the younger girl's need to leave rose with it.

Natsuki turned and walked quietly towards the door, pausing in front of it. After a few moments' internal deliberation, she glanced over her shoulder at the other woman. "Shizuru, I…"

"It's okay, Natsuki. You don't have to say anything. I know what this is, and what we are after it."

Natsuki's brow furrowed at the Kaichou's words. How could Shizuru be sure, when she wasn't even sure herself? "What we are..?" she asked, uncertainty lacing her words.

Shizuru turned towards her slightly, but only enough so Natsuki could see half her face, shadows from the dimly lit room obscuring her view of what she could actually see of her features. "We are rivals, are we not? Enemies."

Natsuki pressed her lips together as she thought, questions plaguing her mind. After a while she glanced back at Shizuru quickly before lifting a hand and grasping the door handle. "Enemies… right…"

There was silence from the room behind her as she opened the door and stepped out, the cool air hitting her skin and causing a shiver to pass through her. Her heart felt heavy as she closed the door behind her but she ignored it, as she always did. She let out a small sigh before clearing her mind and leaving Shizuru's room behind her, heading for her own. She just hoped she wouldn't meet anyone along the way, as she wasn't entirely sure how she'd react to being spoken to.

--

_**Author's Note: **__This is one of my stories, what did you expect? Of course there's going to be smut! :P Well done to those that picked up on this before it actually happened. And there I thought I was being subtle. . Heh, but anyway… it was a long time coming but I got the third chapter out finally. I haven't been able to write much at all lately and I hope that will change. I do have lots of things going on now, and my priorities are different to how they used to be. But my writing is still important to me so I shall endeavour to write as much as possible. Hope you enjoyed this chapter._

_Thanks to Leebot for betaing. :)_


	4. Chapter 4

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai**** HiME**** Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**Note: **__It's been a few years since I last updated any of my stories. Recently, I've reread some of them and it's reminded me why I loved the characters of Shizuru and Natsuki. I was rather fond of the potential Destiny had as well, so I thought this would be as good as any to update. I'd like to work on this and Blood Letting for the time being; working on any more than that might be a bit impractical. _

_On another note, does anyone know where I can find a summary of the rest of the events that occurred in Mai HiME Destiny? I've not read past chapter five or six and can't find a translation on any of the old sites that housed them. I'd just like an overview of all twelve chapters as a reference for this one. :)_

_**Timeline: **__Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny Novels._

_**Dedication: **__For my Li'l Tiger._

_

* * *

_

_Enemies_. That word had been haunting Natsuki since the previous night. She couldn't shake the sinking feeling in her chest either. Why now, of all times, did she have to be bothered by the situation? She had been contented before to continue as she had, to remain distant from the people around her. It was better that way. She couldn't trust a single person at this academy, let alone rely on someone. That was why her faction hadn't grown. _I don't need anyone anyway._

But, that wasn't entirely true either. When she couldn't get information through normal channels, she'd go to Shizuru. The Student Council President held most of the power in the school and if she wasn't aware of something, it wasn't worth knowing. At least, that was what Natsuki had learned. But that didn't mean she needed Shizuru, did it? She could manage fine without the information the Kaichou provided, it was just convenient she had access to it. _Right?_

But that wasn't what really bothered her about their relationship. It was their physical exchanges that messed with her head. She had always put it out of her mind before; they were enjoyable after all, and it was a way for her to expend her pent up psychic energies after combat. _Since when had emotion crept into it though? _She sighed, not sure if she wanted to contemplate this matter yet.

She was definitely feeling something when she was with Shizuru, the aching in her chest was evidence of that. But what was it? She doubted it was so simple as to be one single emotion. More annoyingly, she had no idea how Shizuru felt. Was she merely using her to satiate her own needs? Was she manipulating her? Or was there some genuine affection involved? _Bah, I'll never figure this out on my own._

If Shizuru had been anyone other than the Student Council President, then things would probably have been simpler for them. _Would we even interact if she was just a normal student? _She let out another sigh at that thought. This was pointless; she'd just end up going around in circles if she continued this train of thought. Part of her knew the only way she'd get any kind of answer was to talk to Shizuru about it. And that was something she couldn't do.

At that moment, she looked up from her small haven under a particularly large oak on the school grounds to see the sun beginning to dip behind the academy's main building. _How long have I been out here? _She decided she should go back to her dormitory room and keep out of trouble for the night. She didn't need any more confrontations with the Munakata faction, not until she figured out what their plans were anyway. She knew they wanted supreme power in the academy but Natsuki had a feeling there was some other motivation.

Picking her school bag up and lifting herself to her feet, Natsuki strolled across the grass towards the dormitory buildings. The walk back was, thankfully, uneventful and she quickly came to the door that led to her room. She was one of a few students outside of the Council circle that had been assigned a single room and she was definitely glad of that. Not only did it allow her some privacy but she was able to come and go as she pleased without a roommate to worry about.

She unhooked her keys from her bag and unlocked the door before stepping inside. She locked the door behind her and dropped her bag to the floor. The dormitory room was fairly well equipped and she had everything here that she needed to get by. There was a small kitchenette in one corner of the room with a desk and chair in the area next to it. A small bookcase stood against one wall and a single bed was tucked into another corner. There was only one door, apart from the entrance to the dorm room, and that led to her bathroom.

She immediately moved to her bed and sat upon it, her eyes going to the bedside table. There sat a small frame with a photo sheltered within it. A smiling young Natsuki sat nestled in the protective embrace of a dark haired woman with glasses. _Mother..._ A day didn't go by that she didn't think of her. Even after all of these years, the pain of her loss gripped at her chest. There was a deep, hollow feeling there whenever she tried to remember her.

Perhaps it was the tragic circumstances of her mother's death that made it so hard to deal with it. Natsuki had even been in the car when the accident had happened, but the memories were vague and patchy at best. _That's probably a good thing._ She couldn't bear thinking about it at that moment though, so she stood abruptly and moved to her desk. On it sat a laptop, which she stared at blankly for a few minutes. _What am I going to do anyway?_

Before she could decide, a knocking sounded from the direction of the door that led into her dorm room. _Who could that be? _Possibilities rushed through her mind. Choosing to err on the side of caution, she summoned one of her pistols and walked over to the door. She wondered when the academy was going to install peepholes in the doors. It would help with security. Then again, not many crimes happened on school grounds. Not with the disciplinary committee and the Student Council around.

Natsuki unlocked the door and turned the handle, cracking open the door only a little and peering through the gap. She inwardly groaned when she saw the red hair and annoying grin that greeted her. She quickly de-summoned her pistol and opened the door further without saying a word. Nao stood there, arms folded across her torso, with an expectant look on her face.

After a few moments, Natsuki decided to break the silence. "What do you want?"

Nao's grin widened. "Can't a classmate just pop by to see how you're doing?"

Natsuki's eye narrowed as she frowned. "Like you care. Just spit it out already."

"Hmph," Nao huffed and shrugged. "Gonna let me in, or what?"

Not moving an inch, Natsuki shook her head. "No."

The redhead let out a frustrated sigh and laid a palm on the outside of the dorm door. "I was curious."

Natsuki's eyebrows rose slightly. "About what?"

Glancing from side to side meaningfully, Nao leant in closer. "You sure you want everyone to know your personal business, Kuga?"

_When she puts it like that... "_Ugh, fine. Come in then," Natsuki conceded, ensuring the other girl knew exactly how put out she felt.

She didn't like anyone entering her personal space, especially someone as annoying as Nao, but if the other girl had anything useful to say then she could put up with it for now. She would throw her out the moment she proved she was being a nuisance, though. She watched as Nao looked around with an openly interested expression.

"You're not here to sightsee, Yuuki. Get on with what you were saying," Natsuki stated bluntly.

Nao turned to look at her, that grin never leaving her face. "Oh yeah, as I was saying... I was curious. I wanted to know what kind of punishment the disciplinary committee was forcing on you."

Natsuki blinked blankly at her. _Punishment? _It hadn't even occurred to her that her actions from the previous days would be met with resistance from the authorities in the academy. But now that she thought about it, it was odd that Suzushiro hadn't tracked her down.

"Huh?" Nao's grin was gone now, much to Natsuki's satisfaction, and was replaced with a look of confusion. "Don't tell me you got away with it?"

Natsuki rubbed the back of her neck and avoided the other girl's eyes. Just how was she meant to explain that? "Alright, I won't then."

Nao's eyebrow twitched. "What the hell? You caught up in _two_ fights and you don't get so much as a frickin' detention?"

Clearing her throat, Natsuki held up her hands in a defensive posture. "It's not like that. I got a warning from the Council," she insisted.

Nao eyed her suspiciously for a moment. "A warning? Big deal. You keep breakin' rules and you keep getting away with it. This ain't the first time, Kuga!"

Natsuki let out a sigh and placed her hands on her hips. "Did you come here just to shout at me? If that's the case, you can just leave."

The redhead continued to eye her. "No... The reason I was asking, actually, is because a couple of those girls got suspended."

"Suspended?" she asked in surprise.

"You didn't know, huh? Well, yeah, they were. Don't know the names but I think we can guess who. What I don't get is why you're not joining them," she explained as she prodded a finger in Natsuki's direction.

_Could this be _her_ doing? "_I... really don't know."

Nao seemed to regard for a few moments before turning and pacing around the room. She let her gaze wander over Natsuki's possessions, which caused the dark haired girl to feel increasingly more uncomfortable with the redhead's presence. "You've got it pretty cushy here, eh?" Nao finally spoke.

Natsuki didn't answer; she just continued to watch as Nao walked around her room.

"It makes me wonder why," Nao murmured as if not speaking to anyone in particular.

"That's none of your business!" Natsuki spat defensively.

Nao peered over her shoulder at Natsuki, an eyebrow raised. "Oh? So there's a reason why?"

Natsuki crossed her arms tightly over her chest and jutted out her chin. "Of course. There's a reason for everything."

Natsuki cringed as Nao let out a laugh. "Who would have thought that you'd be so philosophical, Kuga?"

She could feel her pulse quicken under her skin as her annoyance rose. "I didn't mean it like that!"

The redhead came to a stop by Natsuki's bed and stared at the photograph sitting on her bedside table, a small chuckle leaving her lips. "Aw, isn't Kuga cute?"

Natsuki lurched forwards in anger and snatched the photograph out of Nao's line of sight, clutching it to her chest. "Get the hell out."

Nao looked back at her in surprise. "Hit a nerve, did I?"

Natsuki jabbed a thumb in the direction of the door. "Didn't you hear me?"

The other girl waved a hand dismissively and turned towards the door. "Not that it matters. You might have it good here, but you've still got a lot to worry about."

Natsuki's eyes narrowed at her words. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on, you have that Munakata after you. As soon as other people realise you're an easy target, you think they'll be the only ones out for your blood?"

Natsuki felt a chill creep down her neck. Was that true? "I... don't care. I'll take them all on," she said defiantly.

Her determination was suddenly deflated when the sound of Nao clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth repeatedly met her ears. "Even you can't possibly be that thick-headed," her words caused Natsuki's blood to simmer but she continued nevertheless. "Here's a friendly warning, Kuga. Choose your battles wisely. I might not know what's going on around this academy but it's bigger than the both of us."

Natsuki could only stare after her as she sauntered over to the door. "W-wait," she called out, taking a few steps towards the other girl.

Nao glanced over her shoulder, apparently pleased that she'd unsettled Natsuki. "Hm?"

"What do you know, Yuuki?" she demanded.

The redhead was clearly enjoying the sense of power she had gained from this situation and her eyes glinted with amusement. "Now wouldn't that be telling?"

Natsuki gritted her teeth. "Dammit, stop playing around."

The grin dropped from Nao's face instantly and she turned on the dark haired girl, anger flashing across her features. "No, Kuga, you're the idiot who's playing around! You're getting yourself entangled in all kinds of crap and you don't even realise the danger you're in!"

"What the hell's that supposed mean?"

Nao stomped over to Natsuki and poked her in the chest with one finger. "Haven't you realised it yet? All the power struggles in this damned school?"

Natsuki swatted her hand away. "Of course I have," she growled.

"Have you really?" Nao continued. "It's a very fine balance. If you opened your eyes for once, you'd be able to see that."

"That's why things have to change," Natsuki retorted.

Nao shook her head, strands of red hair falling in her face. "You think it's that easy? If you upset the hive, you're gonna get stung."

"Cut the bullshit, Yuuki. If you know something, just tell me already!"

Letting out a long breath, Nao eyed her for a while before answering. "I don't know the details," she began and she scowled at Natsuki's subsequent eye roll. "But I've been watching for a long time. There's something going on behind the scenes and there's only a few people with the power to control what's going on."

"Oh?" Natsuki said skeptically. "And who might they be?"

Nao brought a hand up to stroke her chin. "Well, the obvious ones are the Principal and Chairwoman, who seem pretty intent on making sure no one gets hurt around here. But, it's hard to say since I don't get to see them often. Then, of course, there's the self-righteous Council. They might keep things safe but they've got way too much power for a mere student body."

"You're not really telling me anything I don't already know," Natsuki pointed out.

Another "hmph" came from Nao. "You think so? Well, how about applying that knowledge of yours then? Ever wonder _why_ they're trying so hard to keep control?"

That made Natsuki pause. She'd always assumed the rigid rules and extreme discipline was for the sake of order on academy grounds. It was especially important because there were MiKOs attending the academy. _But, maybe it's all because of us._

"I think you're beginning to get it, Kuga," Nao grinned at her once more. "Now ask yourself this - why are there so many MiKO in one place?"

Natsuki had no idea Nao was such a deep thinker. Why was she even so interested in these matters? She had seemed so nonchalant about everything, as if nothing mattered to her. But, apparently, something did. _Just what is it though? What's she getting out of talking to me? _Her brow furrowed as she contemplated Nao's words. _She has a point though. Why are we all here and how did they get us here? Are there more MiKO out there?_

"You know, I always found it strange how I was invited to attend this academy when I hadn't even applied," Nao broke into Natsuki's thoughts. "But a free ride's a free ride, you know?"

Natsuki nodded absent-mindedly. That hadn't been the case for her. Her education had been paid for by her late mother; all the arrangements had been made via her will. Natsuki attended Fuuka Academy because it was her mother's last wish. But now she was beginning to wonder why.

Nao covered her mouth dramatically and made overly loud yawning sounds. "Anyway, it's late, and I've bored you enough with my ranting. I should get going."

"You're dropping that in my lap and just ditching?" Natsuki gaped.

Nao gave her a faux-sweet smile. "I wouldn't want to inconvenience you further."

Natsuki seethed. "And what exactly and I meant to do with all these questions you've given me?"

"That," Nao began, as she headed for the door, "is entirely up to you. I'm sure you'll think of something completely disruptive to the academy!"

All Natsuki could do was scowl after the redhead as she slipped out of her dormitory room. Arguing with her was not going to clear anything up. But now Natsuki had a headache and even more concerns to deal with. _If what Nao suggests is true, then who can I trust?_

_

* * *

_

Rei Kanzaki, Principal of Fuuka Academy, was not one to take insolence lightly, nor was he receptive to those who broke his rules. Fortunately for the boy in front of him, his was a special case. Nagi Homura was favoured by the school's benefactors so he generally escaped most forms of punishment. Rei didn't like favouritism but he had no choice in this matter.

_The little runt is annoying but one can't go upsetting the hand that feeds us. _He peered down at the light haired boy with barely contained scorn but Nagi seemed completely unaffected by the glare. That irked Rei. It was something he had learned to contain, though, since he'd had to deal with him for some time. Still, he wished he could take a cane to him all the same.

"Something I can do for you, Principal, sir?" Nagi cooed in his best mocking tone.

Rei gave him another scathing look. "How many times are you going to antagonise your classmates, boy?"

Nagi cocked his head to one side. "Whatever do you mean, Principal?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Rei sat forward in his high-backed chair and rested his elbows on his desk. "You know very well what I refer to."

Nagi let out a childish laugh. "Of course, of course. I can't help it if I find them so tiresome though, can I?"

The Principal's brow furrowed as he spoke. "You must. Do not think you can escape punishment forever."

Another laugh. "Ohoho. You're a funny one, sir."

_My patience is certainly being tested today._ "Don't push me, boy. I can easily have you returned to our generous benefactors and I shall allow them to discipline you."

The threat in his tone obviously didn't go unnoticed and Nagi stopped his chuckling. "Alright, alright. Keep your hair on," Nagi grinned at the Principal before dramatically covering his mouth with one hand. "Oops, my bad."

The boy's obvious jibe at his baldness didn't get the rise he had hoped for but it still irked the Principal. He refused to let that show, however. "Now, remember our deal, okay?"

Nagi studied him for a few moments, his hand still covering his mouth. Rei wondered what was going through his devious little mind but settled on the fact that he'd rather not know. "Sure thing, boss-guy," Nagi chimed with a mock salute.

* * *

A piercing scream shattered the serenity within the Fuuka Academy grounds. The sound travelled even further than it would have during the day but its range did not matter. It was aimed at only one individual and she was very close to it. Natsuki Kuga knelt on the ground, cowering with her hands over her ears. She grimaced in pain as the screech continued to perforate the silence.

She began to tremble and she was sure her ears would burst if the noise continued. Thankfully, it suddenly came to an end but it continued to ring in her ears. So much so that she couldn't hear anything else. She slowly opened her eyes and peered through her lashes at the figure of Shiho several meters away. Her voice was truly a dangerous weapon. _A good a reason as any to ram my fist down that throat of hers, _she thought.

Shiho walked towards her at a leisurely pace, obviously not finding Natsuki much of a threat. This both irked and amused the dark haired girl. She was glad that her opponent was underestimating her but it was still a blow to her fragile ego. Shiho stopped just in front of her and sneered down at her. Natsuki decided to bide her time until she saw a suitable opening.

"Now do you realise how weak you actually are?" she gloated, a menacing grin on her face.

Natsuki gritted her teeth. "You think... you'll get away with this?" Natsuki managed to force the words out even though it sent spikes of pain shooting through her head to do so.

Her question seemed to amuse her foe. "Of course. Survival of the fittest, Natsuki Kuga. That's how this academy works."

Thankfully, Natsuki's head had started to clear now and the ringing in her ears was fading. She watched the other girl carefully, assessing each of her movements. She didn't respond to what Shiho had said, she knew bating her at this point would be a bad idea.

"Nothing to say for yourself?" Shiho seemed a little surprised. "So, you concede then?"

Natsuki slowly shook her head.

Shiho snorted. "Of course you wouldn't. I was hoping you'd be stubborn, it'll make breaking you all that more satisfying." She raised an open hand up, presumably readying to backhand Natsuki. "You'll pay for getting my girls suspended!"

Natsuki pushed herself off of the ground with her legs and rolled to the side as Shiho screamed out at her. The attacking hand missed her completely and she was able to regain her footing and turn towards her attacker before Shiho had recovered.

"They did that themselves!" Natsuki spat, using the break in attack to concentrate her energies. She held her arms away from her body and felt power surge down to her hands. It swirled for a moment before materialising into two sleek, silver pistols.

Shiho had recovered from the sudden evasion now and was glaring directly at Natsuki. Her gaze twitched to the pistols and Natsuki noticed the sharp intake of breath that came after. _She's gonna... _Reacting instinctively, she squeezed the trigger on her right pistol, forcing a small amount of her psychic energy into the action. The shot rang out in the night air and then a scream filled the air once more.

This scream wasn't an attack, however. Shiho fell to her knees and clutched her shoulder. Although there would be no injury there, Natsuki knew it would feel as though a real bullet had torn through her shoulder. Her psychic bullets were more than capable of inflicting real injuries but that was dependent on how much power she put into them. She didn't want to kill Shiho but she certainly wanted to make her hurt for a while.

She aimed one of her pistols levelly with her foe's head. The pigtailed girl appeared to be recovering now and she looked up at Natsuki with murderous intent in her eyes. "Unless you want to taste more of that, I wouldn't move if I were you."

"You bitch!" Shiho hissed.

It was somewhat satisfying hearing the girl say that. It meant Natsuki had the advantage. "Perhaps I'm not as weak as you thought me to be."

"This doesn't mean anything!" Shiho shouted and she was now shaking with barely contained anger.

Natsuki probably shouldn't be taunting Shiho but she just couldn't help herself. She really deserved it. "Can't you do anything without your groupies around?"

Apparently, that was a step too far and Shiho let out a deafening cry. The shock-wave from the sound knocked Natsuki off of her feet and she inwardly cursed her own stupidity. She landed uncomfortably on her back, losing her grip on one of her pistols. It tumbled across the grass and disappeared.

Seeming to forget the use of her powers for the moment, Shiho charged across the distance between them and was soon upon Natsuki, her fingers clawing frantically at the dark haired girl's face. _She's completely lost it!_ She held her arms up above her in an attempt to protect herself but she was getting scratched from the frenzied attack.

Desperately trying to dislodge the other girl, Natsuki bucked her hips, forcing Shiho to lose her balance. She rolled them both and used her own body weight to pin her foe. She grabbed Shiho's flailing arms and restrained her as best she could.

There was a panicked look in Shiho's eyes and she bared her teeth into a snarl. "What the hell's wrong with you?" Natsuki yelled.

"This is all your fault!" Shiho screamed and Natsuki wondered if she was losing her grip on reality.

She became aware of people approaching but she couldn't take her attention away from the girl who was still struggling under her. "What is? What is your problem?"

"You and that bitch-mother of yours!" Shiho spat.

Natsuki's blood felt as though it had frozen in her veins. _Mother..._ In her surprise, Shiho had managed to get a hand free and slapped Natsuki across the face. The force of the blow caused her to lose her grip completely on Shiho. The other girl didn't have the chance to act on the opening, however, as strong hands pulled Natsuki off of her in an instant.

Still reeling from Shiho's words, it took her a while to realise Haruka Suzushiro had her gripped firmly from behind, her hands tight on Natsuki's shoulders. Two boys who were also part of the Disciplinary Committee now had Shiho pinned to the ground and it was all they could do to keep her from attacking Natsuki again. A timid-faced Yukino Kikukawa glanced in concern between the two girls.

"What's going on here?" Haruka demanded in her usual authoritative tone.

Natsuki ignored her and stared straight at Shiho. "What did you mean? What do you know about my mother?" she demanded.

"Stop it, Kuga. You're in enough trouble already," came Haruka's voice again.

Shiho only glared back at her hatefully, her hair in disarray and her eyes wild. "It's all your fault!" she repeated.

"Tell me!" Natsuki shouted.

Haruka pulled on Natsuki roughly. "Enough! Take Munakata away quickly!" she yelled to the boys.

They nodded and hauled Shiho to her feet, struggling with her every step of the way as they led her back towards the school buildings. "No! Wait!" Natsuki called out to them.

She could only look on in confusion as Shiho disappeared inside the academy's main building. As she continued to stare after her, she noticed the form of Shizuru standing next to the doorway Shiho had just entered. She couldn't even think about why she was watching from there though. Shiho's words continued to echo in her mind.

_Mother..?_

**_

* * *

_**

**_A/N: _**_For some reason, ffdotnet's document uploader loves testing my patience. Tried uploading a Word document as both Docx and as Story and there was always something wrong with the formatting. So, I had the same problem in this story as I did in Blood Letting. All the scene breaks had disappeared and the "!" and "?" combo doesn't show up so I've had to just put in question marks._


	5. Chapter 5

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**Note: **__After pondering the Destiny plot for a while, I think it's most likely that my story won't follow the events in the novel exactly. For one, I don't like the character of Mayo (I find most of the so-called main characters in the HiME universe rather annoying - Arika from Otome, for example, or many of the younger characters), also I've set up certain events in my own plot that may not fit into the official ones very smoothly. So, for the sake of a good read, I won't try to force anything to fit. I hope you can understand it from my point of view. :)_

_**Timeline: **__Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny light novel. _

_**Dedication: **__For my Li'l Tiger._

_

* * *

_

Sitting in the Student Council room had done nothing to quell the thoughts plaguing Natsuki's mind. She'd been forced to sit on a chair in the middle of the room and not move as the Secretary General, Haruka, and the Treasurer, Yukino, had tried to force some order into the aftermath of her fight with Shiho. The noise had woken a lot of the other students and so the Council had been busy calming them and placating their enquiring minds.

_How long have I been sitting here? _Her eyes went to the frosted glass of the doorway and she could just make out the figures of two students standing on the other side. She was being guarded. _How ridiculous!_ Her gaze returned to her own hands and she let her shoulders slump. She needed answers and she wasn't going to get any sitting there. _Where have they taken Shiho? _She needed to get to the girl and force whatever information she had out of her. She couldn't even comprehend why the girl knew about her mother. Was it just the ramblings of a snapped mind?

She'd get nowhere driving herself mad through contemplating it though, so she decided she'd try and keep a level head. At least until she could reach Shiho. The tension in her gut was also distracting her and she was annoyed at the reaction her body always had to using her abilities. Noise from the hallway grabbed her attention now and she peered back up at the door. It opened with a sudden swing and in stepped the somewhat imposing form of Haruka, unsurprisingly followed by Yukino. Natsuki eyed them as they moved further into the room. Soon after, in stepped Reito Kanzaki, looking striking in his dark uniform. Natsuki heart skipped a beat as the final person entered the room.

Shizuru closed the door behind her and walked over to her desk, not once making eye contact with Natsuki. They were all dressed in their uniforms, even at this hour, which she found strange. Reito propped himself on the edge of Shizuru's desk as the student council president settled into her chair, her movements graceful and deliberate. Even now, after all the time Natsuki had known her, she couldn't help but notice the aura that Shizuru carried with her. It was both intimidating and intriguing.

Haruka cleared her throat and Natsuki readied herself for a tirade. "Natsuki Kuga," she began, her tone crisp. "What were you thinking?"

Natsuki merely shrugged and she was sure she could sense Haruka's blood pressure instantly rise. It was only Yukino's hand on her arm that stopped the Secretary General from spewing abuse at Natsuki. At that moment, she didn't much care though.

"Kuga-san, would you mind telling us what happened?" came Yukino's timid voice.

She was so polite it almost made Natsuki guilty for not wanting to reply. She'd have to give them some form of answer though; she wouldn't be able escape punishment forever. "That crazy bitch attacked me," she spoke through gritted teeth, the mere memory of Shiho angering her.

"You should show your fellow students more respect than that!" Haruka demanded, her voice too loud for the small space they were in.

Reito spoke up now and it was rare to hear much from him. "Please, Suzushiro-san, let us hear her side of things." He gave the Secretary General a reassuring smile.

Apparently placated for now, Haruka quietened down and allowed Yukino to speak. "Why would she do that? Was there some bad blood between you two?"

Natsuki felt her defensive nature fighting for dominance. "Why don't you just read my mind? Won't that be easier for you?"

Yukino looked a little surprised at the outburst and perhaps a little hurt. She glanced towards Shizuru, her eyes asking for the permission only she could give. "That won't be necessary," Shizuru said coolly, her melodic tone a little more curt than usual.

"R-right," Yukino said before turning back towards Natsuki. "Just tell us in your own words then, please."

Natsuki wondered if Shizuru was protecting herself with that decision. _If Yukino were to read my mind then..._ "I already told you, she attacked me. For no reason. She's been after my ass for a few days now and I don't know why."

"So a student just attacks you out of the blue like that? Nonsense!" Haruka interjected.

"If you're not going to believe me, then what's the point in this farce?" Natsuki demanded.

Haruka's face reddened slightly and her eyes flashed with anger. Before she could say or do anything, Shizuru stood suddenly. Everyone in the room turned to look at her, surprised by her uncharacteristic hasty movements. Her face didn't show any sign that she was agitated though and Natsuki wondered what she was up to.

"My apologies for interrupting, Suzushiro-san, but we do not have the time for this. I will ask that you all return to your rooms and get some rest. I will question Kuga-san myself." It was odd hearing Shizuru use such a formal name for her.

Confused glances passed between the other students but it was Haruka that voiced it. "But... why?"

"Please honour my request," was all Shizuru said, and she gave the blonde a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

This seemed to unsettle the Secretary General a little and she reluctantly nodded. "Come, Yukino, we need to check there are no stranglers outside their dorms!"

Yukino's eyes widened slightly as Haruka marched out of the room. "I th-think you mean stragglers!" she called after her.

Reito chuckled a little as he, too, stood and made for the door. He shot Shizuru a glance, which she either didn't notice or didn't acknowledge, before leaving and closing the door behind him. That left only the two girls alone in the room and now Natsuki felt even more uncomfortable than before. Shizuru stood behind her desk for several long moments, looking at Natsuki, before finally sitting down again. She clasped her hands together on the desk in front of her.

The lengthening silence only proved to make things more uncomfortable for Natsuki and she shifted on the seat beneath her awkwardly. "I don't know what you expect me to say," she blurted out.

"Did I not warn you?" was all Shizuru said.

Natsuki blinked at her blankly for a while before the memory resurfaced. "It's not like I can help it if people attack me!"

"Perhaps," Shizuru murmured. "But there are still rules, and you cannot be exempt from them."

"I never asked to be!" she insisted, her defenses rising further.

Shizuru brought a hand up and she touched her chin thoughtfully with slender fingers. "True. Then it is possible I have been too lenient."

"Lenient? What are you talking about?"

Shizuru merely smiled that infuriating smile of hers. "Before we consider that, would Natsuki mind sharing tonight's events with me?"

Natsuki considered that. Did she really want to share anything concerning her mother with the older girl? _But what if she knows something about it? If Shiho knew, then Shizuru's got to have a way of finding out too._ She might have to take the risk. She eyed Shizuru warily and stood, stretching her legs with some relief. She'd been sitting in that chair far too long. The Council President watched her closely, like a predator waiting to pounce.

"Are you going to believe me?" Natsuki asked skeptically.

Shizuru clasped her hands again, this time just beneath her chin so she could rest it on the backs of them. "I have no reason to believe Natsuki would lie to me."

Natsuki felt a surge of regret at those words. From her point of view, neither of them was being honest with each other. "She... totally lost it. She kept coming at me even after I shot her. Then she started blaming me for everything. I don't even know what she was babbling about."

Shizuru quirked an eyebrow. "You shot her?"

Natsuki crossed her arms across her chest. "It's not like I hurt her!"

The other girl's smile widened briefly before she spoke. "It's surprising you have such control over your abilities with the barrier around this school."

_Oh yeah, the barrier._ It was so easy to forget it was there since it couldn't be seen. It was supposed to stop the MiKO from abusing their powers. Having so many teenagers together in one place was like placing a powder keg next to a bonfire. Sooner or later, it was going to explode. It was even worse when some of those teenagers had unimaginable powers. Thankfully, there hadn't been many incidents since she had attended the academy.

Then again, she'd been involved in several incidents just in the past few days, so perhaps it wasn't working as intended. Seeming to pick up on her thoughts, Shizuru continued. "Usually if we have anyone using their abilities on the school grounds, it's just a burst of energy. That appears to be the case with Munakta-san. She couldn't control her ability."

"If that was her not controlling it, I don't want to be anywhere near her when she's away from this place."

Shizuru chuckled. "Control does not necessarily equal power, Natsuki."

Natsuki merely shrugged and paced from one side of the room to the other. The barrier wasn't much use if students could still hurt one another. What use was her control if some kid with a screw or two loose could jump her whenever they wanted?

"Did Shiho give any clear reason to her attack?" The seriousness had returned to Shizuru's soft voice.

Shaking her head, Natsuki let out a frustrated sigh. "Nothing I could figure out. She just flipped." Shizuru looked thoughtful at those words. "But, Shizuru..." Crimson eyes gazed at her with curiosity. "...she mentioned my mother."

Shizuru's eyebrows rose in surprise and she sat there in silence for a while. "Your mother?" she finally asked.

Natsuki nodded, not sure what else to say after that. She didn't want to get into the history of it all. It was very easy to open up that old wound. "She didn't say why but she just blamed both me and my mother. She kept saying it was our fault."

"I see..." Shizuru said quietly.

Natsuki eyed the older girl, wondering if there was something more to those words. She approached the desk and rested her palms on it, leaning in closer to Shizuru. "Do you know something?"

Shizuru peered back at her calmly, not retreating in the slightest even with Natsuki's aggressive movements. "I shall look into it, I assure you."

"That's not what I asked," Natsuki replied bluntly.

Shizuru reached out with one hand, brushing her fingertips against the dangling dark hairs that hung around Natsuki's face. "Please, let me handle this. I shall contact you when I know more."

Her tone was soft and even but her eyes had drifted down to where Natsuki's skin disappeared under her collar. She flushed slightly at both Shizuru's actions and her gaze. She was instantly reminded of that distracting sensation in the pit of her stomach but she pushed it away. _I can't keep doing this. Not after every damn fight._ "Stop it..." she breathed.

Shizuru's darkening eyes flicked back up to meet emerald. "Hm?"

Natsuki grasped Shizuru's wandering hand and held it in place. "This."

Those eyes dropped away for an instant and something shifted within Shizuru. In the next instant, however, it was gone and the Council President rose from her sitting position. She leaned over the table, mirroring Natsuki's pose, their faces now only inches apart. "Is that what you really want?"

Natsuki's stomach lurched at her words and the close proximity of the other girl was extremely distracting. If she wasn't careful, they would just end up repeating the same cycle all over again. She did want it, though. And that irked her the most. "We can't keep doing this, Shizuru." She had tried for a defiant line but she could hear the slight tinge of sadness in her own voice.

"Why not?" came the distracted reply. It was then that Natsuki became aware of a finger hooking under her collar and gripping the fabric there lightly.

She gripped Shizuru's wrist, restraining her again. "You know why."

Shizuru tugged on the collar slightly but Natsuki held her ground. Her body was screaming at her to give in though. When she didn't move, Shizuru's eyes clouded with confusion. "I really don't..."

Natsuki felt her brow furrow and she tried to find the words to explain. She wasn't even sure she could convince herself, let alone the other girl. "You said so yourself, " was all the explanation she could muster.

She may have said more but Shizuru had led the hand on her wrist to her lips now and placed a soft kiss against the sensitive skin of Natsuki's palm. "Natsuki misinterpreted my words." As she spoke, her lips moved lightly across Natsuki's skin. At the younger girl's dazed expression, Shizuru stopped her ministrations and lifted her head a little. "You may be in a supposedly opposing faction to the one I lead but..."

She didn't complete her sentence, instead returning to her previous task. She now pressed her lips to the underside of Natsuki's wrist, causing the other girl to shiver. _God, her lips..._ She inched ever so slowly up the smooth skin of Natsuki's forearm. "B-but what..." she managed to force out.

Shizuru paused again and a smile pulled at her lips. "But like this we are but two people without any ties to the world."

Hearing those words, Natsuki wanted so much for them to be true. But, she didn't see things in such a philosophical light. _If you have responsibilities, they don't just disappear whenever it's convenient for you. No matter how much I wish they would._ Even so, she couldn't bring herself to argue the point with Shizuru. There was something in her eyes that stopped her. What was it? _Hope? Nah, that can't be right. _

Just as Natsuki felt herself giving in to the other girl, Shizuru abruptly straightened and dropped her hand, her mask slipping into place instantly. Natsuki was stunned by the change and she didn't notice the handle to the room's door being turned. She felt a blush rise to her face uncontrollably as she saw the school's principal walk into the room.

The older man looked a little confused as to what he'd walked in on but soon seemed reassured from Shizuru's stoic pose. "Ah, Shizuru, I'm glad I found you here."

Shizuru nodded at him. "I wished to speak with you, as well."

"Very well, perhaps we can discuss our matters in my office first thing in the morning? I'd like you to bring an overview of tonight's events." He glanced at Natsuki as he spoke.

"Of course. I am finished questioning the students involved for tonight," she said with no hint of what had just occurred between the two girls moments before.

"You are... Natsuki Kuga, yes?" he asked the dark haired girl and she only just realised the positioning she was still in. She pulled back away from the desk and nodded. _He knows who I am? Well... I guess he is the Principal._ "I see," was all he said.

He gave one last nod to Shizuru and then left. Silence stretched out between the two girls now. Natsuki peered over at the other girl, watching for any changes in her facial expression but she merely continued to stare at the recently closed door. She wanted to go to her, to feel her in her arms, but the moment was broken now.

"Natsuki should return to her dorm room, it's late." Shizuru's voice was unusually quiet, even for her.

Indecision plagued Natsuki's thoughts. She took a step towards the other girl but couldn't bring herself to go any further. Shizuru took something from the desk drawer and moved to the door, peering over her shoulder at Natsuki. "W-what?"

"I have to lock up," Shizuru explained, showing her the keys she held in her hand. There were quite a few on the ring and Natsuki wondered if she had access to all areas of the school.

Natsuki moved slowly towards the other girl, the heaviness of her thoughts making each step sluggish. She reached out for the handle but halted before turning it. She looked at the girl beside her. "We're... not enemies until we leave this room, right?" she asked hesitantly.

Shizuru couldn't hide the surprise that crept onto her face. "I suppose not," she replied, somewhat hesitantly.

_To hell with it..._ Without much care for the repercussions, Natsuki grabbed the black ribbon at Shizuru's collar and tugged on it. Obviously taken off-guard, Shizuru didn't resist in the slightest. Natsuki registered widened crimson eyes just before their lips met.

Perhaps because of the sudden nature of Natsuki's actions, the other girl didn't react at first. It wasn't until Natsuki slid the tip of her tongue across Shizuru's bottom lip that she could feel the shift in the Council President. Shizuru's soft, full lips parted slightly and their mouths moved slowly against each other's. That familiar surging sensation in the pit of Natsuki's stomach soon forced her to deepen the kiss. Shizuru murmured against the other girl's lips, her tongue meeting Natsuki's briefly.

The older girl's hands found their way into dark tresses, entangling themselves happily. Caught up in the moment, Natsuki pressed herself against the other girl's supple form, wrapping an arm around her petite waist. She could feel Shizuru yield to her movements and Natsuki was allowed to lead the kiss. She slipped her tongue into Shizuru's mouth, exhaling abruptly at her taste and warmth. Although both girls clearly needed more, neither of them pushed their actions past that heated kiss.

Breathlessly, Natsuki reluctantly pulled back from Shizuru's lips. The sight of the other girl peering back at her with half-lidded, darkened eyes and parted lips caused her heart to skip a few beats. Heat prickled under her skin and she desperately wanted to keep that expression from fading. She swallowed awkwardly and her grip tightened subconsciously on Shizuru's waist, pressing them together further. The older girl dragged her nails lightly across Natsuki's scalp in response, causing her to shiver and her eyes to flutter closed for a moment.

She knew the spell they were under would be broken any second but she couldn't force herself to take that step. She wanted to stay close to the other girl, far from the troubles that had been plaguing her. _Shizuru was right. _In these moments, they were free from the labels of their normal lives, they could just be themselves. It saddened her that the rest of their time wouldn't allow them that luxury as well. Shizuru was a leader with a mountain of duties, and Natsuki was determined to see that the Council didn't continue to abuse their power. _Why do you have to be part of that, Shizuru?_

One of Shizuru's hands fell from its place in black strands and slid against Natsuki's cheek. The soft skin of the other girl's palm felt so good and she couldn't help but lean into her touch. Shizuru's intense gaze didn't falter once and Natsuki felt herself being drawn in, the raw emotion that was usually hidden behind them was so obvious to her now. It was as if those eyes were trying to tell her so much but she just couldn't understand them. Too much was being said at once.

The longing in Shizuru expression soon faded and was replaced by a soft smile, one Natsuki hadn't seen before. She found herself holding her breath as Shizuru spoke. "And so... I must bid you good night."

Natsuki could feel her heart sink. She didn't want to let the other girl go; she wanted to ask for just a few minutes more. She didn't though. She could only look upon the President's beautiful features as she felt her slipping away, her walls coming back up. Instinctually, Natsuki did the same and pulled away from Shizuru. Part of her wanted to take her frustrations out on Shizuru, to blame her for taking this moment in time from her. But she knew it was actually herself she was angry with. She didn't have the courage to ask herself the important questions.

Shizuru studied Natsuki for a few seconds, seeming to notice the emotions vying for dominance within her. "Natsuki..?" she almost whispered.

The hushed tone broke Natsuki from her train of thought and she looked back at the other girl. Shizuru seemed to want to ask something but was inwardly debating whether to do so. She watched as a pink tongue darted out to moisten full lips before disappearing again. _Is she nervous? _

Shizuru let out a forced chuckle and waved her hand. "Never mind, we should be leaving."

Natsuki's brow furrowed and she pressed her lips together into a thin line. _Should I press her on it? It might be important..._ That fear swelled in her chest though and it held her back yet again. _Gah, Kuga, you coward, _she inwardly cursed herself. Shizuru slipped around Natsuki with practiced grace and opened the door, motioning for Natsuki to go first. In any normal situation Natsuki might have laughed at her gentlemanly act but she couldn't find the humour in it at that moment. Her chest had started to ache again, as it always did when they parted.

"Pleasant dreams, my sometimes-foe," Shizuru purred with a serene smile. Natsuki knew it to be one of those she showed to the outside world. She very much wanted to see the real thing again.

Natsuki couldn't even bring herself to speak and so she just forced herself to walk. She kept walking, not looking back, until she was far from the student council room. Away from Shizuru.

* * *

Fractured memories filled Natsuki's dreams. She'd often have similar nightmares and always about that awful night. The night she had lost the only person who had cared for her. Tonight was no different. She had woken only hours after falling into slumber, perspiration on her skin and her throat dry from crying out in her sleep. She clutched the bed covers around her chilled frame, trying to force the images from her mind. The memories in her dreams only told her some of the story too and she wasn't sure if it was a good thing she didn't remember it all.

Against her will, her thoughts went back to the fresh memories of her dream.

_Natsuki felt trapped. She was strapped in firmly in the rear seat of Mama's car. __Mama was driving fast, faster than she normally did. __At first, Natsuki had thought it was fun but she had seen her Mama's face all screwed up for most of the journey and that wasn't normal. Mama was always smiling for her. Mama didn't do screwy faces._

_She couldn't see where they were driving; she still wasn't big enough to look out the window at the road. All she could see was the sky. It was pretty. She gazed up at the reds and oranges of the evening. It was her bedtime soon. She was excited at still being out at this time. __That meant she could stay up late. __Her attention moved to the small cardboard tree that swung from side to side on the mirror at the front of the car. She wasn't sure what any of it was for but the tree smelt nice. So it must have been good._

_She felt herself being forced to one side as the car moved abruptly in another direction from what it had before. "Wheeeeeeee," she called out as she slid a little. Mama didn't tell her off, which she was happy about. Mama usually did though. She looked through to the front of the car. __Mama was still doing the screwy face. __She wanted to ask about it but she didn't want to risk it if Mama was in a bad mood._

_Mama looked up at the dangling tree and then looked behind her. Her face became less screwy but her eyes were wider now. Natsuki looked around for the toy she'd brought with her as she felt herself sliding in the opposite direction she had before. Where had she put that? Then there was a loud noise and it frightened Natsuki. She cried out as bits of shiny things tumbled across the front passenger seat. Some landed on Mama's legs and Natsuki thought it was pretty how they glinted in the light._

_She tried to reach out for the pretty shiny things but the strap prevented her from going very far. Another loud noise filled her ears. It was different from the other. It was kind of like when she tried to open packets of crisps without Mama's help. They went bang. But this one was louder. Natsuki jerked forward in her seat. Her chest hurt from the sudden movement against the strap there. "Mamaaaaa," she cried, tears starting to well up in her eyes._

_There was a lot of noise and a lot of bouncing around. Mama didn't answer her. Even when there was no noise and she was sure she could hear her. Was Mama mad at her? Had she been too loud? She tried to move but it hurt her leg. Mama said if it hurt bad she wasn't to move. __So she did as she was told. __She looked to the front of the car for Mama. Was Mama sleeping? It wasn't that late and Mama was usually up long after she'd gone to bed. She knew because she used to sneak out of her room to watch Mama work._

_Something glistened on the wheel Mama used to turn the car. It kind of looked like the paint she used in her colouring book when she mixed them up. Red paint._

"_Mama..?"_

Natsuki squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. Just remembering made all the old emotions come flooding back and she could feel tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. _Dammit, I will not cry!_ She rubbed at her eyes angrily and tried to think of something else, anything else. Nothing came to her, however. Those images were haunting her. Shiho's outburst earlier had just brought everything back to her. Now it all felt so raw.

She tossed the bed sheets aside in frustration and twisted so she could hang her legs over the side of the bed. Her eyes went to where she knew the photo frame to be. In the darkness she could just make out the outline of it. "Mother..." she whispered into the night. She wished she was still around to offer her some words of wisdom. She didn't have anyone to turn to for advice. Everything was so messed up.

Events from earlier in the night had just left her so confused. First Shiho and then Shizuru. _What am I meant to do, Mother? _She had been so determined to start up her own faction and take down the Student Council. From what she had seen they had absolute power, even more so than some of the staff, and that just wasn't right. Then some teachers and students had gone missing in past years and she was sure the Council was behind it. She thought them nothing but power hungry dictators. _But then Shizuru..._

When she'd first met the Student Council President she had thought her just like the rest, especially because she was so intimidating. She gave off an aura of deadly beauty. That only fuelled Natsuki's determination. But over their time together, Natsuki had seen glimpses of another side to Shizuru. She just couldn't tell if that was her true side or not. She had shown her indirect kindness in her Council decisions and then there was her tenderness when they were alone. _But what if she really is just manipulating me? How am I supposed to be able to tell? _Those doubts always resurfaced when she thought of Shizuru.

She was just going in circles. She'd have moments where she thought Shizuru cared for her but when she factored everything else in, it just didn't make sense. She wasn't sure she'd ever get her answers as long as the Student Council were around. And so, even with Shizuru being the President, she continued her little battles against them. Not that they'd actually fought yet. She was still at the information gathering stage. She hadn't planned on other factions becoming interested in her either. This Shiho matter was just complicating an already complex situation.

Natsuki sighed and let her body fall backwards onto the bed. There was no use in staying up all night thinking about it. She had to get some sleep or she'd be like a zombie in the morning. She slipped her legs under the covers and rolled onto her side, hoping for better dreams than the ones she'd had that night.

* * *

_**A/N: **__I'm writing these updates a bit too quickly. I just updated Chapter Four yesterday and Blood Letting today. I might hold off on when I post this up to give people a chance to catch up. :P_

_I am really enjoying writing these two again, though. I haven't written a smut scene in years though, so I might have to have a go at that again. I'm not sure I have the energy for Giving In though, it tends to be a bit emotionally draining. __Perhaps I'll do a one-shot. Hmmm._


	6. Chapter 6

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**Note: **__I've just flown back to Scotland, so that means my leisure time's, sadly, come to an end. I'll be rather busy from now on but I shall try to fit in my writing whenever I can. Also, I'll try to reply to reviews that I was unable to since I was preparing for my travels. :)_

_**Reply to gp03: **__Because you asked, my characters are all on the EU Aggramar realm and my main's Lythania (although that was only since WotLK, my vanilla main was Sekhmet). For those that can get the reference, I also have an alt called Murakumo. :P_

_**Timeline: **__Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny light novel._

_**Dedication: **__For my Li'l Tiger._

* * *

It had been a week since the incident with Shiho. _A whole damn week! _She hadn't seen those annoying pigtails around school in that time and asking around had only landed her with unknowing stares. More importantly, it had been a week since she'd even spoken to Shizuru. Hadn't she promised she'd look into it? _Then why hasn't she contacted me? _The Council President was unpredictable but she wasn't unreliable. After all, she'd generally given her information when she asked for it. Why was this time different?

Natsuki made her way across the academy grounds towards the one-storey building that housed the cafeteria and library. _Bah, and no classes tomorrow. I'll never get any information. _She didn't have much chance of finding anything out on her own either, not if she could find neither Shiho or Shizuru. It frustrated her that she couldn't do much by herself. She briefly considered seeking Shizuru out at her dorm room but she knew if she went to her for information, the other girl would assume she was there for another reason. A part of her was tempted to go anyway; she missed Shizuru's company but that would only complicate things.

Pushing open one of the double doors that led into the library, Natsuki peered through the small circular window set into it to see how busy it was. Thankfully it seemed pretty barren so she stepped in and made her way past the librarian's desk where a bored student sat fiddling with a piece of paper. She ignored him and moved to the rear of the expansive room. It was fairly obvious one of the academy's benefactors was a book appreciator as the shelves were stocked with hundreds of them, from new to antique. _Or we have a bunch of old snobs on the school board, _she mused.

As she passed by one of the smaller study areas she noticed two girls sitting across from one another. She recognised one as Yukino Kikukawa, a Student Council member but the other one was less familiar to her. It was hard to tell just how old the girl was as she looked, to Natsuki, as though she might have been a staff member but she wore the Fuuka Academy uniform. Her brown hair was pulled back into a wild ponytail and her eyes shone just as erratically as she spoke to Yukino. Whatever they were discussing, their conversation was certainly animated.

Natsuki slipped between two tome-laden shelves and tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible. She edged towards the two girls, her gaze fixed on the books in front of her although she wasn't taking in a single title. As she got a little nearer, she could just make out what they were saying. It helped, of course, that the girl who Yukino was speaking to wasn't being particularly careful about the level of her voice.

"Oh come on, you can give me more than that!" she exclaimed, slamming her fist down on the table between them.

Yukino flinched back in her seat. "Midori-san, please..." _So that's her name._

"Don't please me!" She blinked several times as she realised how that had sounded before shaking her head. "Just tell me what you know already."

The short haired council member was beginning to look as though she was being backed into a corner. "I s-said I don't know."

"So a student involved in a fight goes missing and the Disciplinary Committee knows nothing about it?" Midori jabbed a finger in the other girl's face. _Does she mean Shiho? She's missing?_

"Even if we did, we don't have to explain ourselves to the student body." Yukino was looking panicked now.

Midori stood and folded her arms across her chest. "You lot are probably behind it and you're just hiding it!"

Yukino's eyes widened at that. "No! That isn't true!"

Glaring at the smaller girl, Midori defiantly jutted her lower jaw forward. "Only a true villain would deny their evildoing so vehemently!"

Natsuki couldn't help but feel sorry for Yukino, Student Council or not. She was clearly being bullied even if she did seem as though she wasn't doing a thing to prevent it from happening. She just looked like the kind of girl who would be a victim. She guessed that was why Haruka was with her most of the time; to protect her. She might have thought that a kind act, had she thought the blonde capable of kindness. From Natsuki's point of view, Haruka was a storm of fury and self-righteousness.

"Shiho's missing, huh?" Natsuki raised her voice and spoke out as she stepped towards the two girls, deciding now was as good a time as any to interrupt them.

Both heads turned to face her, Yukino's eyes filled with surprise and just a little relief while Midori's were suspicious. "Kuga-san!" Yukino exclaimed.

Midori's eyes flickered between Yukino and Natsuki. "So you're the girl she fought?" The dark haired girl nodded. "Then it's in your best interest if she disappeared," Midori continued as if the conclusion was obvious.

"Oi, what's with that reasoning?" Natsuki objected.

Rolling her eyes, Midori placed a hand on her hip. "Oh come on. It's clear as day; your attacker vanishes and you don't get attacked any more."

She did have a point. However, it wasn't the case for Natsuki. "I need to get information out of her, I have no reason to make her disappear."

Midori eyed her skeptically. "So you say..."

Natsuki ignored that comment and looked at Yukino. "What do you know about Shiho?"

The relief faded quickly from the council member's face. "A-as I was telling Midori-san, I don't know anything about that."

"See? There's no point in you sticking your nose into this. You won't get any different answers from her," Midori snorted.

Perhaps she was right but Natsuki found it unlikely that Yukino knew nothing at all. Still, with Midori around it was unlikely she'd be able to pry that out of her. She shrugged at the other girl's words. "So why don't you leave her alone then?"

Midori feigned disinterest and waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever, I'll find out another way." She then leaned in towards Natsuki and narrowed her eyes. "You, however, should stay away from this. You're too mixed up in it for your own good." With that said, she sauntered off towards the library exit. Natsuki glared after her, not sure what to make of that warning.

A soft cough from beside her reminded Natsuki that Yukino was still standing there and she peered back at her. "Where's your bloodhound anyway?"

Yukino looked at her with a bemused expression until it finally dawned on her what Natsuki had meant. "Oh! Haruka-chan and I aren't always together, you know."

"Doesn't seem that way to me," Natsuki observed.

A light pink coloured the other girl's cheeks at her words. "Thank you for coming to my aid there. I know you probably want some information as well but it was nice all the same."

Natsuki's eyebrows rose in surprise. She wasn't used to being thanked and she hadn't expected Yukino to be able to see through to why she had really helped. "You shouldn't let people like that bully you."

The other girl smiled politely at her. "She was just concerned for her fellow student's safety. It's understandable."

_This girl's compassion is unbelievable. "_There's a difference between asking you about it and demanding it from you." Even though she had said that, she knew she probably would have done the same herself in Midori's position. Assuming that she actually wanted the information for a good reason.

Yukino paused and glanced off to the side, as if debating something within herself. Eventually she looked back at Natsuki, a serious expression pulling at her features. "I was supposed to read Munakata-san's memories but... I was asked not to."

"Oh?" Natsuki was shocked Yukino was offering this up to her. Perhaps it was gratitude urging her on. "Who asked you?"

The other girl's gaze dropped to the floor. "K-kaichou-san."

"What?" She hadn't expected that. _Why would she..? She promised me she'd look into it. _She felt a little betrayed but she wasn't about to go running to Shizuru demanding to know why she hadn't fed her a few scraps. It just proved that she needed to work alone. She couldn't rely on others, even if Shizuru had helped her in the past.

"She didn't say why," Yukino added quietly.

"Tell me, Kikugawa, what is the Student Council's goal?"

The other girl seemed a little confused by the question and she glanced about the library before answering. "Uh, we're... here to represent the students and to maintain order."

She seemed to believe what she was saying. _Is Shizuru really the one pulling all the strings? "_Do you really believe that?"

"Of course!" Yukino answered quickly, almost defensively.

Natsuki let out a quiet sigh. Did she really know nothing as well? She slipped her hands into her jacket pockets and shrugged dismissively. "Sorry for bothering you," she said curtly. She started to walk away towards the exit, her reason for going to library completely forgotten. She looked back before she got out of hearing range. "Look after yourself a bit more, alright?"

She left a puzzled Yukino alone in the large room and strolled out onto the Fuuka Academy grounds. A slight breeze had joined the afternoon sun now, brushing pleasantly across Natsuki's face. She closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the sensation before moving towards her next destination. _Where could Shiho be? Where are they likely to put her?_ She realised she had no idea. If she wasn't on school grounds, where could anyone possibly go? The nearest city was probably Monbetsu, down at the bottom of the mountain on the coast, and the trip wasn't exactly an easy one. Nor was it short.

She couldn't go on some wild goose chase, not even if Shiho had information on her mother. She'd just need to find out more first. Someone in the school had to know where the girl was. Natsuki refused to believe someone could go missing without someone else knowing about it. Particularly in Fuuka Academy. She frowned as she made her way to her dorm room, cutting through the school's inner courtyard to make the trip shorter.

When she entered the square, she noticed a group of girls gathered near the opposite side, in the entrance way of one of the four entrances to the courtyard. She couldn't quite see what was going on though since the statue that sat in the centre blocked her view. For some reason she always found that statue a little creepy. It was a magnificently carved dragon, its body twisting beneath it and its mouth agape in a ferocious snarl. It was the eyes that Natsuki didn't like. They were carved from obsidian supposedly found in one of Hokkaido's own volcanoes. Whenever she walked by this way, she'd always feel as though those eyes were following her, piercing her. It was irrational, of course, but she couldn't shake that feeling.

She moved to the wall of the small corridor she had entered through to see past the statue in the middle. She could just make out the girls chattering excitedly around one person. Her stomach fluttered as her gaze travelled over silky chestnut hair and an entirely black uniform. _Shizuru._ She had the urge to go over there and demand an explanation for not helping her with Shiho but she couldn't. She'd depended on the tidbits of information from Shizuru enough. She needed to know she could do this by herself. _Besides, she's surrounded by rabid fangirls. I'd never get a word in._

That thought irked her as she watched Shizuru smiling pleasantly at them and offering a few words every now and then. Did she enjoy the attention or was she merely tolerating them? It was hard to tell. That wasn't a genuine smile, for sure, but that didn't mean much. Shizuru very rarely ever let that smile reach her face. Her chest began to ache at that though but she pushed the feeling away. She couldn't allow herself to get caught up in emotions right now.

Shizuru had now lifted a hand to cover her mouth as she chuckled at something one of the girls had said. Looking at her like that, it was almost easy to believe the President was a normal girl. But Natsuki knew better. Interestingly, none of the fangirls seemed to have the courage to touch Shizuru. They had almost completely encircled her but there was a barrier of air between them and their precious 'Kaichou-sama'. Or was that Shizuru's doing? Personal space didn't really seem to be something Shizuru ever worried about. _Particularly mine. _

She scowled at the girls once before turning to leave the way she had come. As her gaze slid across the courtyard, she noticed someone else at one of the other entrances. She paused and narrowed her eyes, attempting to get a better look at who it was. A vague pang of familiarity poked at the back of her mind as she took in the dark asymmetrical hair. _Did she dye it green? _That wasn't what drew Natsuki's attention the most though; it was those dark, discontented eyes. _What was her name? Tomoe, I think._ She'd seen her around before but it was the gossip she'd overheard that made her name memorable. She wasn't the most pleasant of individuals, if she'd heard correctly.

Tomoe was glaring in the direction of the girls fawning over Shizuru, just as Natsuki had been. Her fists were clenched and her arms were visibly shaking. She recognised that look in her eyes though. _Envy._ Was she another one of Shizuru's fangirls? Then why wasn't she over there with them? _No, it's more than that._ Was there something going on between Shizuru and Tomoe? The thought tugged at her heart. Was she just another conquest for Shizuru? She peered back at the President and was surprised to see crimson eyes on her. She was acting as though she was still listening to the girls surrounding her but her attention was clearly on Natsuki.

How long had she known she was there? Her heart was thudding loudly now and she knew she had to leave before she was drawn into those eyes. She looked away and it was then she noticed that Tomoe was turned her way. She was glaring at her with murderous intent. _What the hell is wrong with her? _Natsuki wondered just how stable the green haired girl was. She began to edge away but Tomoe was stomping in her direction now. What was she planning on doing?

Natsuki readied herself to summon her pistols, her muscles tensing at the imminent confrontation. Tomoe wasn't given the chance to reach her, however, and Natsuki's eyes widened in surprise as the graceful form of Shizuru appeared behind the other girl. Whether reacting to Natsuki's expression or sensing someone behind her, Tomoe froze in place. Shizuru placed her hand on the smaller girl's shoulders and leaned forward a little.

"Hinagiku-san," was all she said. The green haired girl blushed profusely and Natsuki could feel the anger rise within her.

Tomoe stuttered for a few moments before seemingly regaining some semblance of control over herself. "Y-yes?"

Shizuru then moved around the other girl and stood between her and Natsuki. "My apologies but I must borrow Kuga-san for a while. I hope you do not mind," she said with another of her perfect smiles.

Her eyes widening slightly, Tomoe shook her head. "O-of course not!"

It was almost comical how this girl had gone from wrathful to gibbering fangirl within seconds. "Very well," Shizuru said with a nod and turned to Natsuki. Her gaze lingered on the younger girl for a moment before she walked past her without another word.

Was she supposed to follow? Deciding that it would be best that she wasn't left alone with Tomoe, she turned on her heel and hurried after the Student Council President. After they had turned the corner, she slowed her pace and followed several steps behind the other girl. _Now that we're alone, should I ask about Shiho? _She frowned at the thought. Her decision hadn't changed from earlier so she chose not to.

Shizuru halted in front of her and turned to face her, a playful smile on her lips. "So what does saving Natsuki earn me?"

Even though she knew the other girl was joking, she couldn't help glaring at her in shock. "You did _not_ save me!"

Pink lips twitched into a slight pout and Natsuki knew more teasing would follow. "Ikezu, brushing aside my act of heroism like that."

Natsuki rolled her eyes at the dramatic girl, leaning against the wall of the building they were passing by. "There wouldn't have been a reason to step in if you didn't have such fanatical girls following you around."

Shizuru quirked an eyebrow at her, the pout fading instantly. "It is just youthful exuberance that drives them. I cannot fault that."

"You mean you don't want to," Natsuki huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

The President took a step closer. "Is something bothering Natsuki?"

Choosing not to back down, the younger girl looked into crimson eyes. "You let those girls paw at you and get their hopes up."

Shizuru tilted her head to one side slightly and she moved closer so she was standing directly beside Natsuki. "Paw at me? All I do is entertain their conversation. What they hope for is their own doing, I can't dictate desire."

That didn't put Natsuki at ease at all. She could feel herself getting more and more defensive. "Oh yeah? Well how about that Tomoe girl then? She seems to want more from you than just conversation."

A soft chuckle slipped past Shizuru's lips and she reached out to toy with a strand of the other girl's dark hair. "Is Natsuki concerned about where my interests lie?"

Annoyingly, her cheeks flushed in reaction to the inference and Natsuki tried to hide it by glowering at the President. "No!"

Twisting the hair between her finger and thumb now, Shizuru looked thoughtful. "Would it make you feel better if I told Hinagiku-san that my body belongs to you?" She had said it with such a light tone that it took Natsuki a while to register what she had said.

She floundered for a moment, her mind desperately clambering for a retort to deflect the question away but the tightening in both her chest and stomach were distracting. Part of her was relieved to hear that, even if she wasn't sure how serious she was being. But another part of her was disappointed that it was merely her body she was referring to.

Shizuru pulled away and her teasing smirk was replaced by her usual expression. "Will Natsuki accompany me?"

Natsuki blinked several times, the sudden change in conversation derailing her thoughts. "Huh?"

Without warning, Shizuru reached out and grasped one of Natsuki's hands before turning and pulling the other girl along with her. They moved away from the centre of the school and she was left to wonder, in silence, what Shizuru was up to.

* * *

Observing was something he was good at, Rei Kanzaki decided. He spent a lot of his days merely watching the events unfolding in his school. The past week had been particularly interesting, he'd found. There had been several incidents involving fighting between the students and it seemed a Natsuki Kuga had been centric to all of them. He'd known about her, of course, but he had decided to dig out her file nonetheless. The contents were interesting, indeed, and he had decided to keep a closer eye on her.

Coincidentally, on his way back to his office, he had glanced out the window of an upper floor corridor that looked out onto the central courtyard and found himself looking directly at the girl in question. He surveyed the rest of the courtyard and noticed Shizuru Fujino was also there but was currently occupied by a group of giggling students. _Up to her usual tricks then._ He often wondered if she actually did anything to manipulate the girls into following her around like lost lambs but had never found evidence of that. He knew the students looked up to her and were even intimidated by her but he was well aware of her background so that wasn't unsurprising. He knew she wasn't one to make an enemy of lightly.

The Kuga girl seemed to be watching her as well, he noticed. She seemed to be staring disapprovingly though so it was hard to tell what the exact interest was. He had heard something about them being rivals but, out of all the incidents involving Kuga, none of them had involved the Council President. There was another girl there but he couldn't see her face. He recognised the hair but her name didn't come to him.

"Himeno-san?" he said to his companion.

The Chairwoman turned to him from where she had been waiting patiently. "Yes?"

He pointed down towards the students below them. "Who is that?"

Fumi Himeno leaned closer to the glass and attempted to discern to whom he was pointing. "I believe that is Tomeo Hinagiku."

_Hinagiku... _Where had he heard that name before? "A student of note?"

Fumi glanced off to her left as she searched her memory. "Not especially so. If I recall correctly, she's been disciplined several times for coercing her fellow students."

"Coercing?"

A nod. "Yes, it appears she is quite manipulative with those she harbours a dislike for."

Rei brought a hand up to scratch at his jaw thoughtfully. "Interesting..." He had a tendency of picking out the disruptive students and moulding them into useful tools. Nagi was a good example of that, but Rei felt his control of the boy wasn't absolute. He was a loose cannon. As he continued to watch Tomoe and her interaction with Natsuki and Shizuru, he began to formulate a plan. _Yes, she may be of use._

Deciding he had seen enough, Rei moved away from the window and continued his journey down the corridor, Fumi falling into step just behind him. "Oh, tell me, is this Hinagiku a MiKO?"

"Yes."

"And her abilities?" he enquired with growing interest.

His companion paused before answering. "She is able to create illusions, to a degree."

He smiled as he mulled over the new information. He didn't have access to anyone with that particular skill and he believed he could put it to use nicely. They continued their travels to the lower floor and he made his way towards the door that led to the courtyard, hoping to catch the green haired girl. To his satisfaction, he found her still standing where she had been previously, looking somewhat forlornly at one of the entrances of the courtyard.

_This will be an easy one, _he thought. "Hinagiku-san?" he called out.

The sudden sound seemed to started the girl and she whirled around, her eyes wide as she realised who had addressed her. "Principal?"

He smiled reassuringly at her. "May we have a word?"

"Uh..." she glanced around as she spoke. "S-sure."

Positive that they were alone, Rei felt no need to go elsewhere for this conversation. Fumi hung back, allowing him to go ahead with what he wished to do. "I have a proposal for you."

The uncertainty in Tomoe's eyes shifted to suspicion. _Good, that's healthy. "_What kind of proposal?"

"One that would most definitely benefit you," Rei explained, laying his web carefully.

Suspicion was joined by confusion now. "What is it?"

The Principal clapped his hands together once in front of him as his smile widened. "I'd like you to do a few extra curricular activities for me."

Tomoe eyed both him and Fumi warily. "Go on..."

"Nothing much, really. Just information gathering mostly. And perhaps some... shall we say... practice for your abilities." He flexed his fingers as he spoke.

Tomoe's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Had she not expected the Principal to be like this? _Of course she wouldn't. They never do. "_What do I get out of this?"

He chuckled. "Straight to the point, very nice." He paused, looking her up and down once, attempting to judge what the best leverage would be. "As you know, Fujino-san works very closely with me..." He let his words trail off, gauging her reaction before saying anything more.

Her face lit up instantly at the sound of that name but her eyes soon darkened with suspicion again. "So?"

_Ah I nearly hit the mark there. "_Let us not play games, Hinagiku-san. I know of your interest in her. If you do this for me, I can guarantee you'll have the opportunity to get closer to her."

The girl blushed at his words and he resisted the urge to grin, not wanting to give away the sense of enjoyment he was feeling. That wouldn't help in persuading her. "And how will you do that?" she asked skeptically.

"She's a good girl, she'll do as she's told," he said casually, very certain of that fact.

Tomoe seemed surprised by it though. _Aw, perhaps I'm shattering the perfect image she has. Too bad. _She didn't reply for some time but he had expected that. She might have been eager to get more time with the President but manipulating a manipulator was usually a resistant process. "This isn't right..."

He couldn't help but laugh at that and Tomoe visibly flinched. "Oh come now, don't give me the self-righteous act. You've caused enough trouble at this school for me to know you don't care what's right or wrong."

Her face reddened, not from embarrassment, but from anger. "What do you know?" she spat.

To his surprise, Fumi stepped forward and spoke, her voice gentle. "The Principal is making a generous offer. It would be wise to accept. Or do you not wish for what he has suggested?"

Tomoe's gaze fell to the ground and she stood there rigid for a while. Finally, she looked up and answered. "Fine..."

_Perfect. _He did so like it when a plan played out the way he wanted it to. Of course, this was minor in the grand scheme of things but every machine needed its cogs and this one had fitted into place nicely. He smiled broadly at the young student. "Superb. Come to my office first thing in the morning and we shall iron out the details."

With that, he left, Fumi close on his heels. He was sure that would come in useful later on. If not, it was just another expendable resource and one could never have enough of those.

* * *

_**A/N: **__So this is a bit shorter than I would have liked but the next will be a bit longer to make up for that. How do I know this? Because I've already written it! I'll explain that in the next chapter. ;)_

_I most likely won't be able to start writing any subsequent chapters until sometime next week. It's my 3 year anniversary on Monday and I'm wanting to write something for her between now and then. Hope you don't mind. :)_

_I'll post up the next chapter in the next couple of days. _


	7. Chapter 7

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**Note: **__I actually wrote this before the previous chapter. It's one of those scenes that I had seen play out in my mind before I had a place to put it in the story. I knew when about it would happen in the plot but I hadn't written the events before it yet. Still, the scene kept playing over so I had to write it down, if merely to silence it. :P_

_**Story Notes: **__If you haven't noticed already, I've been changing little things in the Destiny universe. Firstly, I've been wanting to refine the MiKO powers, since I think the novels give most of the characters too much power, or rather too many. I want the characters to be a bit more unique, rather than many of them being able to draw upon the same pool of abilities (telekinesis and telepathy are a good example of this). I think it's fairly obvious I've deviated from the main plot as well, as I already mentioned before. I was reading over the odd chapter I could actually find online and, while the dragon priestess thing is intriguing, I don't think it's executed very well. That, and I don't like Mayo. I'll take inspiration from it, however, and mold it into my own vision. ;)_

_**Timeline: **__Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny light novel._

_**Dedication: **__For my Li'l Tiger._

_

* * *

_

"Where are we going, Shizuru?" Natsuki asked as she was tugged along by the other girl. The Student Council President had seemed so intent on her destination that it had seemed wrong to interrupt their journey. Besides, Natsuki was curious.

The sensation of Shizuru's cooler hand in hers as they moved along at a brisk pace wasn't overlooked by Natsuki either and she found herself staring at it. It wasn't until they were outside a familiar door that the younger girl realised just where they were. She instantly stopped, pulling her hand free from Shizuru's and causing the President to turn and look at her curiously. She shot her a glare.

Realisation washed over Shizuru's features. "Ara, Natsuki has such a one-track mind," came her playful words.

Heat instantly rose to Natsuki's cheeks. "O-oi, what's that supposed to mean?"

She received a perfectly serene smile in response and Shizuru turned to unlock the door. "Wait here, I must fetch something first." With that she disappeared into the room.

That only caused Natsuki's blush to burn brighter as she realised she'd jumped to conclusions. A small pang of guilt tugged at her, causing her lips to twitch into a frown. Was Shizuru right? Was that always the first thing she thought of when she was with the other girl? _I'm not very fair on her, am I? _Sometimes it was difficult to imagine there was more to Shizuru than desires and power, as that's what she saw of her the most. They never got to spend any time together outside of school duties and their trysts.

"Natsuki shouldn't frown." Natsuki blinked several times, not even noticing Shizuru had returned. "Your smiles are so much more beautiful."

The blush that had just faded now came back in full force. "Shizuru!" she objected, folding her arms across her chest. "How would you know, anyway?"

Shizuru smirked at her defensive words and stepped closer, a hand reaching out to touch Natsuki's cheek. "You cannot hide the contentment of your body after I am done with it." She spoke the words so easily it took the younger girl a few moments to process their meaning.

Heat prickling under her skin, Natsuki stepped back from Shizuru's fingers. She struggled for a retort but couldn't find one in her startled mind. She couldn't help her thoughts going to where the other girl's words hinted at and her body reacted instantly, a shiver rolling down her spine. Shizuru seemed to be enjoying the reaction she was causing and Natsuki glowered at the widening smirk.

Shizuru forced the smirk from her face and replaced it with one of her pleasant smiles. A smile that hid so much. "Come, let us be on our way."

Natsuki blinked blankly at her for a few moments before remembering that the other girl had wanted to take her somewhere. It was then that she noticed the President was now carrying something in her left hand, her heavily distracted mind completely overlooking it previously. Natsuki's eyes widened as her gaze travelled over the dark red wood of a sheath and up over the ever-so-slightly brighter red cloth tightly bound around the black hilt of Shizuru's katana. She had heard of the President's weapon and the skill in which she yielded it but Natsuki had never seen it herself, even in Shizuru's dorm room. She had begun to think it mere fancy imagined by her numerous fangirls.

If Shizuru registered Natsuki's surprise, she didn't show it. Instead, she reverted back to grasping the younger girl's hand and tugged on her, leading them back towards the destination only she knew of. They moved around to the rear of the dorm building and followed a lesser-used path amidst tall, sheltering trees that led away from the centre of the school grounds. After a while they came across an iron gate half-hidden by foliage and Natsuki could see it was bound to the fencing that surrounded the academy by a heavy looking chain.

Shizuru glanced back at her before releasing the other girl's hand. "Uh, what are we doing here?" Natsuki asked tentatively. She was answered with a smile and Shizuru pulled a single key into view, slipping it into the padlock hanging from the chain. "You realise we're not supposed to leave school grounds, right?"

The School Council President peered back at her with an amused glint in her eye. "Natsuki is, as always, a rule abiding student." She turned the key, the padlock popping open with a click.

Natsuki glared at her for the comment but she continued to watch as Shizuru unwrapped the chain and opened the gate with a low creak. Beyond the gate she could make out a narrow, overgrown path that led uphill. She let her gaze move up, taking in the looming presence of the mountain, rocky faces staring back at her. She had never even been aware of this path's existence and wondered why Shizuru knew about it. _Does she hear about everything that goes on here?_

Shizuru held the gate open and motioned for the younger girl to go through with her sword. Natsuki eyed the path cautiously before stepping forward and past the fence. She heard Shizuru close and lock the gate behind them but she didn't turn to watch, she was enraptured by the beauty that was sitting just beyond the school grounds. Tall, green reeds rose up from the dirt and they were so dense it was difficult to see the path wind up beyond them and into the mountain.

She could make out the echo of the wind flowing over the rocks above them and it almost sounded as if the mountain was howling. The same wind brushed back her hair from her face, making it dance over her shoulders and she found the sensation freeing. Shizuru paused beside her, gazing ahead at the narrow path. Natsuki wondered why she had brought her here. What was at the end of that path? She'd never been up the mountain before, it was forbidden after all. She wasn't one to follow rules, not for the sake of it, but the fencing around the school prevented anyone from wandering off.

The other girl moved forwards, leisurely walking between the reeds, her chestnut hair swaying gently behind her. Natsuki watched her form for a few moments, enjoying the graceful sway of her hips and the way her uniform clung to her curves. She rarely allowed herself chances such as this; it felt wrong wanting to take pleasure from ogling the other girl but out here, in the openness of the area outside the school, she felt as though she could indulge that desire. If only for a moment.

Shizuru was starting to disappear behind reeds now so Natsuki jogged to catch up. As they made their way up the incline of the path, the air felt as though it was easier to breathe. It was clearer and smelt fresher to Natsuki. The reeds were soon left behind, the new terrain now rockier and not as easy to traverse. The younger girl was beginning to wish she'd been warned about where they were going. _Sneakers aren't the footwear for mountain climbing, _she mused irritably as the jagged ground underfoot made the soles of her feet sore.

As they turned the corner of a ridge of the mountain, Natsuki's eyes widened at what she saw before her. Nestled in a clearing within the mountain, water poured down the sheer rock face, collecting into a peaceful pool of water. There was a burst of greenery here as well, in contrast with the rest of the mountain, and Natsuki wondered why this place was so different from the surrounding area. The sound of the waterfall was the only thing to break the serenity of the clearing.

The Student Council President didn't pause and she made her way into the centre of the clearing before turning towards her companion. There seemed to be something different about her but Natsuki couldn't say why. Her eyes were a little brighter and her expression more relaxed. "Can you feel it?" Shizuru asked and Natsuki nearly didn't hear it over the sound of the waterfall.

She glanced around briefly before answering. "Feel what?"

Shizuru smiled at her. "The relief of being away from the barrier."

Natsuki's eyebrows rose in surprise. "We're outside the barrier?" She took a few steps forwards.

"So Natsuki is unable to sense it?" Shizuru seemed almost disappointed. "You can feel it once you know what to look for. The unfortunate side effect is also feeling how it can cripple you."

The younger girl wasn't exactly sure what Shizuru meant. She couldn't feel anything holding her back but she did have a sensation of freedom being in that clearing. Whether the two were linked or not was another matter. She shot another glance around the semi-circle of rock. "So, uh, why are we here?"

Shizuru quirked an eyebrow at her. "Can I not bring a pretty girl to a beautiful place for the sake of it?"

She refused to let herself blush at that comment, she wasn't letting the other girl get away with it that easily. "Don't avoid the question."

Shizuru's smile faltered for a moment but it soon brightened her features again, even if it wasn't the smile that Natsuki yearned to see. "I wanted to show you this place."

Natsuki placed a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes at her companion. "I got that already."

The other girl turned away and faced the waterfall, moving towards it. She halted a few meters away from the edge of the pool before replying. "I come here to train," she said simply.

"Train?" That didn't fit into Shizuru's image at all. Was that why she came up here to do it?

She heard Shizuru chuckle. "Yes, Natsuki, we all need to practice or our skills will lose their edge."

Natsuki shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and wandered over to the pool as well. "Why can't you do the normal thing and train in the gym or something?"

Shizuru peered at her out of the corner of her eye. "Does Natsuki think me just like everyone else?"

She snorted. "Definitely not."

Another chuckle was almost drowned out by the sound of cascading water. "I'm glad."

Natsuki ignored the way Shizuru had purposely changed the meaning in the her words. Instead, she kicked idly at the ground, pebbles skittering across the ground and plopping into the water. It felt strange being alone with Shizuru in such an open place. They usually met up indoors or in secluded spots, where they could hide their interactions. _This place is certainly secluded though. I can see why she likes it here._

"Would you like to train with me, Natsuki?"

Looking at Shizuru in surprise, Natsuki didn't know how to respond. _Train with her? But I've never even seen her fight before. "_Uh..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I don't... really do that kind of thing."

Shizuru turned her head towards Natsuki, a serious look in her crimson eyes. "Perhaps it's time you started."

"I don't see why. It's not like our abilities require years of training to use. It all happens by instinct," Natsuki said dismissively, adding in a shrug for added emphasis.

"Is that so?" Shizuru murmured quietly. With that said, she lowered herself slowly to the ground, her knees parted and her legs tucked under her but she didn't relax fully onto them. Natsuki watched with intrigue as she held her katana out in front of her, the scabbard at eye-level, before placing it gently on the ground. The actions were respectful, almost reverential. She noted the grass under Shizuru had been flatter than in the surrounding areas. _Does she do this often?_

"Um..." she mumbled, not entirely sure what it was she wanted to say. She felt awkward seeing the other girl like this, as if it was a private ritual. She felt she should leave. Shizuru didn't answer. Instead, she placed her palms flat on the ground, just before her sword, and lowered herself until her forehead was nearly touching the grass. _What the hell is she doing? Is she praying or something? Since when was she religious?_ Chestnut tresses spread across the grass and lay unmoving for several long moments. How long was she going to stay like that?

Soon, though, Shizuru lifted herself to her previous kneeling position, taking the weapon in front of her with her left hand and drawing it close to her hip. _Some sort of sword ritual? _The President opened her eyes and stared ahead at the waterfall. Shizuru didn't cease to keep adding to the sense of enigma surrounding her. Natsuki wished she knew the other girl better, she wished she understood her.

"Attack me." Shizuru's tone was firm and without a trace of its usual playfulness.

Natsuki blinked back at her in confusion. "W-what?"

The expression on the older girl's face didn't change in the slightest; it was a wall of neutrality. "Show me that you do not need to train."

What was she trying to prove? "Don't be stupid," she snapped.

Natsuki watched as Shizuru's left thumb moved to rest on the scabbard, just below the decorative guard. Her other hand lay gently on her thigh. She seemed to be completely relaxed, even with the strange posture. "Attack me," she repeated.

"Dammit, Shizuru, I don't want to play your games," she answered angrily, balling her hands into fists in her pockets.

"This isn't my game," Shizuru said, her voice remaining even. "And if you plan to continue being my enemy, you must be prepared to fight me."

Those words made her freeze. Even though she'd gone over and over in her mind about them being rivals, she'd never once considered she'd have to physically battle the other girl. It hadn't even occurred to her. She was right, of course, if her path led her to taking down the Council, that would mean taking down Shizuru too. How devoted was she to the Council's goals anyway? _How devoted am I..?_

Drawing in a breath, Natsuki focused her energy into her palm, pulling into reality one of her own weapons. It was much easier to do here, she found, and it appeared almost instantly. She stared down at the gun. "This is stupid. I have a firearm and you have a sword."

One corner of Shizuru's mouth twitched upwards into a smirk. "Do you think that will matter?"

Whether it was the expression on Shizuru's face or the ice that laced her words, something told Natsuki that the other girl wasn't playing around. Clenching her jaw, Natsuki's hand tightened around the pistol and she rested her forefinger against its trigger. "You really want me to?" she asked with uncertainty.

Shizuru's gaze shifted to her momentarily before returning to the waterfall. "Yes."

Why was she being like this? Just minutes before she had seemed so cheerful, even playful. Her brow furrowed as she waged an internal conflict on whether to attack or not. Shizuru wanted her to, after all, so it wasn't as if it was an ambush. _It's just training... just practice..._ That thought spurning her on, she hesitantly lifted her arm, aiming the pistol at the other girl. _Move then, dammit,_ she thought. Didn't Shizuru think she'd shoot?

She flexed her forefinger, the slight pressure on the trigger firing the weapon easily. It only took a mere thought to control the intensity of the bullet and she was surprised how easy it was. The recoil reverberated up her arm and she narrowed her eyes, focusing on her target. Shizuru didn't fall from the shot, however. It would have been easy to miss, but the sheer speed of her movements had her up on her feet and a blur of light streaking in front of her in the blink of an eye. Natsuki's brow furrowed as her mind tried to process what had just happened. Had Shizuru really avoided a bullet?

The President still held her weapon against her left hip with the same hand but her other hovered near the hilt now. It was then that Natsuki noticed a sliver of the katana's blade peeking out from the scabbard. _Could she really be that fast?_ Had the streak of light been the afterimage of the blade? Natsuki continued to aim the pistol at Shizuru but she wasn't sure what she should be doing next.

The other girl took the decision away from her, however, when she surged forward. Natsuki's eyes widened as Shizuru sped towards her and she actually saw the blade leave its scabbard this time. Completely unprepared for the aggressive move, Natsuki didn't have time to react to the swing and she could only squeeze her eyes shut as it whistled towards her. Then came nothing. She was still standing there without a trace of pain to denote where she had been hit. She peeked an eye open and was greeted with the image of Shizuru directly in front of her. Her torso was slightly lowered, one leg placed in front of the other and bent, with her sword arm stretched out. The polished blade hovered a hair's breadth away from Natsuki's neck and she reflexively swallowed.

"If we were to truly fight as enemies, Natsuki, I would not stay my blade," Shizuru said quietly. It was hard to tell if that was a warning or a threat.

In anger, Natsuki levelled her weapon with her opponent's head once more. "What's the point in this?" she demanded. "To prove you're better than me? Is this a power trip?"

Shizuru's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly before she swung her blade to the right in a fluid motion, drew herself to a standing position and then slipped it into the scabbard at her left with practiced ease. "To show what you're up against."

"Just as I said."

Shizuru shook her head slightly. "You misunderstand. I want you to reconsider this crusade you're on, before you come to harm."

"You mean you want me to stop interfering with the Council's business," she spat.

"In a way," Shizuru murmured, her right hand returning to her side. "Please, unless you wish to train with me, lower your weapon."

Confusion tugged Natsuki's thoughts in different directions. "Why would you want to train your rival?"

Shizuru brought her right hand up to touch her chin thoughtfully. "Ah, but we're not rivals where we are away from our obligations, are we?"

Her arm wavered with her uncertainty for a few moments before she steadied it again. "Stop toying with me, just answer the question!"

Shizuru's brow creased at her words. "No."

Natsuki wasn't sure what she was saying no to but she was getting fed up with this game. She wanted some straight answers for once. She gritted her teeth and lowered her aim, firing a shot off at the ground in front of Shizuru's feet. Surprise registered on the older girl's features as she back stepped. Natsuki saw the attack coming in the way Shizuru's posture changed and her muscles tensed. She had no idea how the attack would come but at least she knew one was imminent this time.

Shizuru's hand went to the hilt of her weapon again as she launched herself forward in a similar manner as her last attack. She didn't pull the katana free, however, and Natsuki had to decide quickly what her next move would be or it would be too late. She brought her hand around to take another shot and it was then that Shizuru released the blade from its sheath. Instead of cutting her though, the President allowed the hilt to continue on its trajectory, the end of it impacting with Natsuki's right hand. To the younger girl's surprise, the pistol flew out of her grasp and Shizuru scooped her blade back into the scabbard without it ever fully leaving.

Natsuki let out an annoyed grunt. She didn't need her weapons to fight, however easy it would have been to summon the pistol again. Before Shizuru could grasp her katana's hilt again, Natsuki grabbed her right arm with her left and took a fistful of the other girl's black shirt in her other hand, twisting her body abruptly. Shizuru obviously hadn't expected the maneuver either and she lost her balance. She fell to one knee, propping herself up with her scabbard.

As Natsuki attempted to decide whether to strike out or back off, Shizuru took the opportunity to swing her sheathed weapon out at the younger girl's legs, taking them out from under her. Natsuki felt herself falling for only a second before she was enveloped by something incredibly cold. She gasped out as she realised she had landed in the pool of water. It hadn't been very deep but it was enough to cover her completely when she was splayed out in it.

She leapt up as quickly as she could, the shock from the sudden temperature change making her heart pound. Shizuru was back on her feet again but her posture was more relaxed and she had an amused glint in her ruddy eyes. This only proved to infuriate Natsuki though. Her clothes felt heavy now and they were clinging to her uncomfortably. The jacket she was wearing was particularly unbearable to wear since it had absorbed so much water and it felt like it was trying to pull her to the ground. _Dammit..._

"Ara, Natsuki's all wet."

The mock surprise worsened the younger girl's already foul mood. She gripped her jacket's zipper and yanked it downwards, taking her frustration out on it. She struggled with the garment in an attempt to get it off and finally managed to throw it on the ground. The light sweater she wore underneath felt even colder now it had been exposed to the air. Strands of her hair stuck to her neck and forehead, causing drips of water to slip down over her face and under the collar of her sweater.

Natsuki shook her arms once in a hopeless attempt at getting just a bit drier. "You..." she fumed, glaring at the other girl.

Shizuru strode towards her, the mirth evident in her eyes and from the way her lips twitched it seemed as though she was holding a laugh back. She slowly lowered her sword to the ground before offering her right hand to Natsuki. "My apologies, let me help."

_Like hell... _She took the outstretched hand in one of her damp ones but instead of allowing Shizuru to assist her out of the pool, she yanked abruptly. The other girl's eyes widened in surprise as Natsuki slipped a leg in between hers, causing the forward momentum and sudden obstacle to topple her. Natsuki watched as Shizuru landed on her hands and knees in the water, the disruption to the surface splashing back on the younger girl.

She couldn't help but smirk at seeing the President's calm demeanour shatter when the shock of the cold water hit her. "Thanks, that helped a lot," Natsuki said with a chuckle, her ire almost completely gone now.

Shizuru shot her an annoyed look, one of the rare times she didn't try to cover it. As Natsuki continued to laugh, the irritation faded from her eyes and she narrowed them slightly. The younger girl was so caught up in her triumph she didn't see the attack coming. Shizuru swept her hands through the water, scooping as much up in the motion as possible and forced a wave of water over her gloating opponent. Natsuki spluttered as she was hit in the face.

"O-oi!" she complained before kicking water back at Shizuru.

The other girl turned her face away and tensed as she was sprayed before lunging forward and grabbing Natsuki's ankle. She tugged forcefully, bringing her target down easily in the slippery conditions. Natsuki felt the water close in around her again as she was submerged and she pushed herself up hastily, gasping for air as she broke the surface. To her chagrin, Shizuru was kneeling in the water grinning at her, only the ends of her hair wet. Her clothes, from the waist up, had also escaped being completely drenched.

To remedy the inequality, Natsuki threw herself at the other girl, using her own body weight to push her back into the water. She straddled Shizuru's waist in order to stop her from escaping. When the President didn't struggle against her or pull herself up from under the water, Natsuki began to panic, thinking she'd actually hurt her. She hurriedly reached down and grabbed the other girl by her collar, lifting her upper torso above the surface of the pool.

Slipping an arm around Shizuru's shoulders to support her weight, Natsuki wiped the hair from the older girl's face with her free hand. She found vibrant crimson eyes staring up at her and a swell of relief filled her chest, followed closely by annoyance.

"Idiot!" she growled.

Shizuru grinned up at her. "You're the one who jumped on me."

"Just to even the odds," she pointed out. "That doesn't make it fair to scare me like that." _Was I really scared? _Just the mere thought of Shizuru being hurt was enough to make an ache creep around her heart.

The Student Council President seemed just as surprised by the realisation as she was. "Natsuki was concerned about my well being. How cute."

Natsuki could feel a blush warming her chilled skin. "Maybe I should just let you drown next time!"

Realising their positioning, she clambered off of the other girl, resisting the temptation to dump her back in the water. Shizuru smiled as she allowed herself to be pulled into a sitting position, clearly realising the empty threat Natsuki had made for what it was. Leaving the older girl like that, Natsuki drew herself to her full height, her clothes completely sodden again. Not that they'd had much of a chance to be anything else.

She turned and trudged over to the rocks that marked the edge of the pool and stepped over them, her shoes squelching noisily as she settled on the grass. She bent down and untied the sneakers, pulling them off with some difficulty and placing them aside. She then slipped her socks off and wrung them out. The tickle of the grass against her toes was a surprisingly pleasant sensation and she stood there unmoving for a while. She looked up at the sky, the late afternoon sun beaming down on her, relieving her from the chill of the moisture on her skin.

When she turned back to see what Shizuru was up to, she was surprised to find that she hadn't moved much from her previous location. She was, instead, kneeling now but she was peering at Natsuki with a fixed stare, her eyelids dropping down to partially cover darkened crimson. The searing gaze flushed the younger girl's skin instantly. Shizuru seemed to notice she'd been caught but she didn't look away. Instead she met Natsuki's eyes and pushed herself to her feet.

Natsuki's eyes darted over the other girl's form as water cascaded down her legs. The President moved to her purposefully and the younger girl couldn't help but allow her gaze to linger over the places where Shizuru's uniform clung to her even more than usual. Natsuki briefly wondered why Shizuru didn't seem to be having any problems moving with wet clothes like she had. _Then again, she is good at hiding things._

The older girl stopped in front of her, just outside the pool, water from her hair dripping down onto the pale skin of her face. Short, shallow breaths slipped past slightly parted lips and Natsuki found herself staring at them. Slender fingers reached out for Natsuki's upper arm, trailing lightly over the fabric there, but the younger girl could feel goosebumps rising to the skin beneath it. The muscles in her belly tightened as Shizuru stepped closer, their bodies almost touching now.

"Natsuki will get a chill standing here like this," Shizuru breathed, her voice lower than its usual pitch.

A shiver passed through Natsuki, as if on cue, but it wasn't the temperature causing her to do so. "What about you?"

"You may relieve me of my wet clothes, if you wish," Shizuru purred, her eyes holding a longing Natsuki was beginning to recognise more and more easily.

Even with how often she was teased, Natsuki still blushed every single time. This time was no different. Frustratingly, Shizuru could easily get that reaction from her, without even trying it seemed. Although, she had a feeling the President was always on the lookout for opportunities to fluster her. She didn't spend much time pondering that though, there was something much more interesting heaving in front of her. Her eyes followed the rise and fall of Shizuru's chest, the black fabric of her blouse following the swell of her breasts perfectly. Natsuki could even see the outline of the other girl's bra.

She felt Shizuru's fingers trail up from her arm, over her shoulder and down her chest. A solitary forefinger then traced the curve of Natsuki's breast before flicking lightly across her nipple. The younger girl flinched, her cheeks flushing further. "Is Natsuki cold?" Shizuru asked with a smirk.

Natsuki's eyes darted down to where Shizuru's gaze landed and blushed with embarrassment as she realised how the wet sweater was allowing the other girl a particularly good view of her erect nipples. "Of course I am!" she blurted defensively. Stealthy fingers then moved to the hem of her sweater, slipping under the fabric and tugging it upwards. Natsuki gripped Shizuru's wrist quickly, halting her movements. "What do you think you're doing?"

Shizuru quirked a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her, leaning in even closer so Natsuki could feel her breath on her cheek. "I wish only to warm you," she said simply, her voice dropping even further.

Almost instantly, Shizuru's fingers were on her skin, burning a trail across her stomach and hip, obliterating any form of objection that had begun to form in Natsuki's mind. With one hand, the older girl pulled Natsuki's body firmly against hers and full, pink lips soon found their target. The hurried, forceful movements of Shizuru's mouth on hers betrayed the other girl's longing but she could feel it too, churning in her gut. A hot tongue pushed past her lips and caressed her own, causing her to let out a murmur.

Fingernails grazed the skin beneath her breasts before a hand dropped down to brush against her thigh. Her mind whirled from the rushed movements. Shizuru's kisses were becoming more heated and desperate now, making Natsuki wonder what had been going through her mind. Placing her palms against the other girl's chest, she gently eased Shizuru back, her lips cooling immediately.

She was surprised to see a furrow set into the President's brow. "Slow down," Natsuki breathed, trying to steady herself. She slipped a hand up to caress Shizuru's neck when she saw something unusual pass through those crimson eyes. _Fear? "_I'm not going anywhere." For some reason, she felt the need to reassure the other girl.

This only caused the crease between Shizuru's eyebrows to deepen and she wrapped her arms firmly around Natsuki's waist and pulled her in for a tight embrace. _What's gotten into her? She's almost... clingy._ Natsuki slid her arms around Shizuru's neck and leaned into her, the chill of the clothing passing as their bodies warmed them. She felt the older girl nuzzle into her neck and, as they stood together unmoving, she heard Shizuru's breathing become more even.

"Shizuru..." she whispered, her concern growing. The President pulled back reluctantly to look at her, uncertainty and desire dancing in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

The older girl's lips parted as though she would speak but she hesitated. _Why's she acting so strangely, this isn't like Shizuru at all. "_Stay with me for a while longer." The words were almost pleading, and unusually timid for the normally commanding Student Council President.

She didn't answer her with words, instead she leaned in and pressed her lips gently against Shizuru's. They kissed tenderly, their mouths moving slowly against each other's. A warmth filled Natsuki's chest and she realised they rarely kissed like this. Their time together was always filled with such passion and need that it was as though they were scared to let themselves feel the gentler emotions they held for one another. At least, that was the case for Natsuki. _I just wish I could know her true feelings..._

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_**A/N: **__Aren't I cruel? Originally, I'd intended on more coming after this scene, but it's gotten too long as it is and it's already over the word limit I'd put on each of my DA chapters. If you hadn't seen where things were going, I'm referring to the smut scene I was going to end this chapter with. _

_Hmm, maybe next time. Maybe... _

_**Requests: **__I've decided to take on interesting requests for one-shots. You can see the details, or make requests, on my LJ. The link to which is on my profile page. :)_


	8. Chapter 8

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**Note: **__In the reviews from the previous chapter several people mentioned Reito, who didn't actually appear in it. Just to clear things up, the Principal is Rei Kanzaki, who is _not_ Reito. In the Destiny universe he is, in fact, Reito's brother. His bald brother. :P_

_**Warning: **__This chapter contains descriptions of a sexual nature. It might also possibly be the longest actual sex scene I've written. Ahem. I had intended for there to be two scenes in this chapter but... well... yes..._

_**Timeline: **__Begins a few months before the start of the Destiny light novel._

_**Dedication: **__For my Li'l Tiger._

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_She is so kind it is almost cruel..._ The thought stuck with her as she felt Natsuki pull back from the kiss. She had been surprised with how tender it had been but she had enjoyed it just as much as their fiery kisses. It had just stirred different sensations within her. Ones she rarely afforded herself to feel. They were dangerous, far more than lust and ambition could ever be. Still, she couldn't hold them back at all times and now was one such moment.

_Natsuki... _She wanted to say her name over and over but she feared too much would be heard in that collection of sounds. She had already said too much by asking the other girl to stay. She wouldn't let anything else slip. Even so, Natsuki's tenderness had touched her and she didn't want to hold herself back any more. There were many things she couldn't say but she wanted to give something of herself to Natsuki still. _I will show her, as if this is our last time together, so at least her body might know._

Shizuru slipped out of Natsuki's embrace and dropped down to her knees, extending her arms towards the other girl. Natsuki stared down at her for a few moments before taking the offered hands into her own and joining her companion. Shizuru didn't give the younger girl a chance to act once she was down with her, however, and she placed a hand against Natsuki's sternum, urging her backwards. She resisted, unsure as to what Shizuru was doing.

Merely smiling at the other girl, the Student Council President leaned in and pressed her lips to Natsuki's cheek before following up with lighter kisses that trailed down to her neck. She could feel the younger girl shiver, which urged her on to tug at the hem of Natsuki's sweater with one hand. She didn't force it up, however, and waited for its owner to pull back and assist in her endeavour. Her heart fluttered in her chest as smooth, pale skin was exposed to her eyes and the sweater was laid aside.

She dropped her head down to explore Natsuki's collarbone with her lips, her hands slipping around her narrow waist and pulling her closer. It didn't take long for the other girl to react to Shizuru's touches and she soon felt arms wrapping around her neck, slender fingers entangling in her hair. This time, when she urged Natsuki backwards, she went willingly and Shizuru lay down next to her. She paused there, propping herself up on one elbow, and looked down at the other girl.

As she let her free hand trail lightly across Natsuki's stomach she couldn't help but stare into emerald eyes. The younger girl looked different now, vulnerable and almost submissive. The feral aggressiveness that usually came to her when they touched was nowhere to be seen. Desire still swam behind her eyes but she seemed to be mirroring the same feelings Shizuru herself felt. That realisation was painful though and she ducked down to press a brief kiss to Natsuki's lips so her eyes wouldn't show it. _Natsuki... I wish things could have been different for us..._

Before she could pull away to look down at the other girl again, she felt arms wrap around her shoulders and pull her in against the slender form beneath her. Natsuki held Shizuru's head against her chest and she heard the quickened beating of her heart easily. Was it possible Natsuki could sense what she was thinking? _No, she's not a telepath... there's no way she could possibly... _Deciding it was best not to think about it further, she let her hands say what she wanted to.

She trailed her fingertips up across the younger girl's thigh and up to her stomach again. She had to lift herself a little so she could lay her palm flat against the creamy skin there. As she moved, she placed her lips against Natsuki's sternum, just above where her heart pounded. She left a lingering kiss there, her own pulse quickening at the sensation of the other girl's smooth skin against her lips. _If only this could be mine..._

Her brow furrowed momentarily at her internal dialogue. She really needed to stop thinking like that. It wasn't productive in the slightest. She focused, instead, on worshipping the body beneath her, kissing her way down to the valley between Natsuki's breasts and letting her lips brush lightly against the sensitive skin there. She felt the younger girl writhe slightly and her fingers slipped into Shizuru's hair. She enjoyed it when Natsuki gripped her hair; not only did it allow her to feel how the other girl was reacting to her touch, but it was a definite connection between them both.

Sliding her hand around to press against the small of Natsuki's back, she felt the other girl arch up against her slightly and Shizuru smirked at how the smallest of movements could elicit a reaction in her. Pressing her fingertips more firmly against the muscles beneath them, the Kaichou moved her hand upwards until she reached the clasp of Natsuki's bra. She deftly unhooked it before sweeping her fingers downwards again, satisfied with the shiver that caused in the other girl.

Before she could take advantage of the unclasped garment, Shizuru felt insistent hands on her shoulders and she lifted herself to look at the other girl. Natsuki didn't utter a word; she allowed her gaze and her fingers to speak for her. Shizuru's jacket was swiftly dealt with and was discarded a few feet away. She dropped her gaze to watch as the younger girl unzipped her cincer, or corset as most of the students would call it. Her breathing quickened as the hold it had on her was relinquished and her blouse was afforded some freedom. Natsuki took no time in untying the ribbon at her collar and popping the blouse's buttons free. Her actions were hurried but not desperate and Shizuru was mesmerised by them.

Natsuki slipped the blouse down over Shizuru's shoulders and past her arms, the cool air on her damp skin leaving goose bumps. The older girl pulled her hands free and pushed Natsuki back down onto her back fully, retrieving the article of clothing she'd been working on previously. She tossed the bra aside eagerly and let her eyes roam over the exposed flesh beneath her. Natsuki's chest rose and fell quickly. A blush had crept across her cheeks now and Shizuru found her vulnerability enrapturing. She lay there as if she'd let the Kaichou do anything to her and Shizuru found herself biting on her bottom lip to hold back the temptation to take her right then.

No, she wanted to be gentle with her, to draw the sensations out. To make it truly memorable. And so she reined her desires in, focusing them into the light caresses she made across Natsuki's skin, her fingertips exploring the curve of a perfectly shaped breast. Her nerves tingled at the sensation of the soft, smooth skin beneath them and she soon dipped her head down so her lips could indulge in it as well. She left teasing kisses along the underside of Natsuki's breasts as her left hand continued its caresses.

Shifting slightly so she could settle comfortably, Shizuru allowed her legs to entangle with the other girl's as her mouth hovered above a pert nipple. She let her breath brush against it, watching with a smirk as it hardened slightly. A hand slipped into her hair again and she noticed a few drops of water splash against the heated skin below her, causing Natsuki to flinch. She blew a stream of air across the recently moistened flesh, eliciting a subtle shiver from the other girl. In response, the grip on her hair tightened and her smirk widened.

Shizuru closed the distance between her mouth and Natsuki's nipple, placing a kiss against it. The sound of the younger girl taking in an abrupt breath reached her ears, urging her to flick the tip of her tongue across the nub. Closing her lips around it, she continued to assault the nipple with her tongue. Natsuki squirmed beneath Shizuru, her back arching and both hands grasping at strands of chestnut hair. The quiet whimpers that escaped the other girl's throat fanned the desire that was quickly building in Shizuru's stomach. She ignored it as best she could and focused on the message she was attempting to give to the slender body beneath her.

She began trailing the tip of her tongue around the erect nipple now while her left hand gently cupped Natsuki's other breast. Fingernails grazed across her scalp, marking the other girl's growing frustration and Shizuru was tempted to give in to her wishes but she carried on with her original plan. Abandoning her position at Natsuki's breasts, she kissed her way up across one shoulder and lingered there. The hands in her hair dropped down to grip her face and pulled her towards darkened emerald. She could see desire and frustration in those eyes and she had to hold back a satisfied grin. It seemed her slow, deliberate movements had the unexpected bonus of arousing the younger girl rather quickly.

No words passed Natsuki's lips though but the Kaichou didn't need to hear them, the other girl's eyes spoke clearly for her. She was hastily losing herself in that gaze and she could only stare back as the yearning in them caused a shiver to roll down her spine. Impatiently. Natsuki pulled Shizuru in for a much more heated kiss, their mouths moving against each other's as tongues danced together. She allowed Natsuki to lead the kiss and she indulged in her own passions for the duration of it, the fire in her gut surging as teeth grazed lips. Eventually, she pulled back from the kiss, her chest heaving as she panted for breath.

Her mind was foggy from desire now and she took in several deep breaths as she tried to clear it. A darkened green gaze seared into her as she hovered above her lover. Natsuki looked almost expectant now and it was probably because she wasn't used to the Kaichou taking things slowly. Usually she let Natsuki lead though. Shizuru enjoyed having the younger girl dominate her, it was nice to relinquish power sometimes but there were other times she needed to be the one in charge. She was used to that power in everyday life but, if she was the one to control when it was given up, she found it incredibly arousing having Natsuki mould her with her touch. But, truth be told, there were times she didn't have a lot of choice. Sometimes the other girl merely had to look at her and she would melt.

Now was one of those times when she wanted to be in control of her faculties, however. The fact that Natsuki's hands were roaming her back and ribs wasn't making it easy though. She leant down again and pressed a kiss to her lover's forehead before moving down her body slowly. She registered the vaguely surprised look on Natsuki's face as she went but she continued to concentrate on her task. Her lips found the other girl's stomach next and she idly travelled the smooth skin there. She felt the muscles beneath her tense briefly and then flutter again as she reached the curve of Natsuki's ribs. She quirked an eyebrow as she glanced up at her lover's face. Unfortunately, she couldn't see the expression it held. _Is she ticklish here? I shall have to remember that._

Shizuru began her descent down Natsuki's body and her hands moved on ahead, meeting the fabric of her lover's skirt. She briefly considered merely pushing it up out of the way but decided it would only get in the way and so she gripped it and pulled it down Natsuki's thighs. The rest of Shizuru's body went with it until the garment was removed completely and she let her gaze travel up her lover's legs before coming to rest at a pair of black panties. Deciding it was best to deal with them now, she hooked her fingers under their hem before looking up at Natsuki's face.

Emerald eyes watched her intently but she saw no trace of reluctance in them so Shizuru pulled the underwear down carefully. After placing them aside, she moved back up Natsuki's body until her eyes fell upon dark curls. Her stomach lurched as the other girl's scent hit her. Her thoughts evaporated immediately and a pulse of arousal shot down to her groin. It was so tempting to fall upon her lover right then, to spread her wide and take Natsuki's taste into her mouth. Her chest tightened at the suggestion and she could feel a throb between her legs now. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and forced herself to shuffle a little further up, returning to her earlier position.

When she lowered herself onto Natsuki, she could feel the tickle of the other girl's fine hairs against her chest. The distraction didn't stop Shizuru's lips from finding their previous spot though and she pressed kisses to Natsuki's waist. She could hear the other girl's half-growl even above the sound of the waterfall. It was as if the cascade of water had faded away and all that existed in this place was Shizuru and Natsuki. The President allowed her teeth to skim across Natsuki's skin as she kissed her way down, paying particular attention to the curve of the other girl's hip.

"God, Shizuru..." came Natsuki's breathy voice.

The Kaichou quirked an eyebrow and peered up from her position at the younger girl's left hip. "Hm?"

Shakily propping herself up on her elbows, Natsuki's half-lidded eyes gazed down at Shizuru. "Do you have to tease like that?" Her voice was low and raspy now and it sent a new surge of arousal down to Shizuru's groin.

Running the tip of her tongue down to the groove between Natsuki's hip and thigh, the Kaichou couldn't help the smirk that pulled at her lips. "I'm not sure I know what you mean," she purred.

Green eyes narrowed and Shizuru thought Natsuki might pounce on her at that moment but she held back. "What's gotten into you?"

She nipped at the sensitive skin beneath her lips playfully, eliciting a gasp from the other girl. "Natsuki is never usually surprised when I tease," she noted, purposely evading the question.

Shizuru's hand found Natsuki's other thigh and gripped it gently. "That's... different..." The younger girl's words were sounding more forced now as the Kaichou continued her ministrations.

Did she always rush through intimacy with the other girl? Had she not once taken her time? As she lifted herself and shifted slightly, Shizuru realised the reason for that had been her feelings. She'd spent a long time hiding them and only letting her more carnal desires loose. While that had satisfied her body, she knew it had been taking its toll on her heart. That's why she had practically pushed Natsuki out of her door the last time they had been together. Holding back that part of herself had become painful.

She rested her palms on Natsuki's knees as the thoughts flooded her mind. She wished she could just tell the other girl everything, to finally be free of the burden. Would speaking it aloud really change anything though? Natsuki was studying her face now and it seemed Shizuru was letting some of those thoughts show. Her grip tightened on the other girl's knees for a moment as her gaze fell to the patch of dark hair between Natsuki's legs.

"I will not rush this..." she found herself saying, her voice almost unrecognisable to her own ears. It had dropped to a deep purr and it was edged with emotions she had never let show before.

Shizuru slid her hands slowly down trembling thighs, pushing them apart as she went. The physicality of sex wasn't enough anymore. _I want to make love to you, Natsuki... _With that thought firmly set in her mind, Shizuru lowered herself to press a kiss to the damp curls beneath her. That light touch was all it took to send Natsuki back down to the ground again, her arms losing their strength instantly. The younger girl's scent filled Shizuru's nostrils now and her mind whirled. She licked her lips, tasting the slight tang of Natsuki's arousal upon them and she felt the ache between her own legs grow.

She pressed a firmer kiss against Natsuki now, causing the other girl to flinch. Shizuru wrapped her arms around her lover's thighs before tentatively reaching out with the tip of her tongue. She wasn't sure why she was unsure of herself now, she had never felt hesitance when touching Natsuki before. Maybe it was because she'd never done this before. It was one act the pair had never indulged in. Perhaps it had been too intimate for them, perhaps it had required a modicum of trust between the girls, or perhaps it had needed them to free themselves of their selfishness. Whenever they had slept together it had been for the sake of relieving their own primal needs, not for their partner.

Shizuru let out a low moan as her tongue slipped between Natsuki's lips, overwhelmed by the searing heat and her intoxicating taste. The other girl's back arched at the contact and Shizuru was vaguely aware of hands snatching at blades of grass. She ran her tongue along the length of Natsuki's lips in slow, torturous strokes. She could feel her lover growing wetter with each caress and she could only imagine how it could possibly feel. As she continued lapping, her tongue occasionally brushed against the sensitive bundle of nerves buried between Natsuki's lips. The contact produced wonderful gasps and whimpers from the younger girl and Shizuru decided she wanted to hear more of them.

Releasing her grip on one of Natsuki's thighs, the President brought her right hand to her lover's slick lips and parted them with two fingers, exposing the small bud she was so keen on exploiting. She let out a shaky breath at how beautiful the sight before her was, unintentionally causing Natsuki to shiver as it cooled her heated centre. Shizuru allowed her gaze to linger for a moment before she lowered her lips to Natsuki's clit, pressing the lightest of kisses to it. Even that caused the other girl to jerk her hips upwards and the Kaichou could just make out the sound of grass being torn from the earth.

She began circling the sensitive nub with her tongue, avoiding contact with it as much as she could. Natsuki's hips still reacted to her touch, however, and were now rocking slowly. Shizuru then ran her tongue along the length of Natsuki's centre once more before flicking it lightly against her clit. She repeated this action, delighting in the frequent whimpers it caused. The bucking of Natsuki's hips increased in pace and the older girl could feel the heat beneath her own skin rise. Her control was beginning to slip now and she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep the slow pace going.

Closing her lips around the small bundle of nerves, Shizuru rolled her tongue over it repeatedly. Natsuki's pelvis was jerking upwards quite erratically now and the Kaichou was finding it difficult to keep her hold on the other girl's clit. In response, she slid her free hand up to just above Natsuki's groin, where her own chestnut locks were splayed, and forcibly pushed the bucking hips down in an attempt to keep her writhing to a minimum. Shizuru knew it'd be fruitless eventually but she wanted to focus her attention for as long as possible.

She then upped the pace, flicking her tongue rapidly across the tip of Natsuki's clit and she could feel the muscles of her lover's abdomen tighten beneath her fingers. She could sense the urgency building in the younger girl's movements now but she wasn't about to let her climax so quickly so she pulled back abruptly. She looked up at the smouldering emerald gaze that was burning into her, an irritated scowl on Natsuki's beautiful features. Shizuru smirked at the deep blush that covered her lover's cheeks and had started to creep down her neck. She looked truly stunning.

It was clear that Natsuki thought she was merely teasing her but Shizuru let her believe that. The younger girl looked like she might try to sit up and take matters into her own hands though and the President wasn't about to allow that so she ducked her head down again, pushing her tongue into where only her fingers had gone in the past. Natsuki let out a strangled cry at the sudden gentle penetration but Shizuru barely registered it. She was already lost to the overwhelming sensations assaulting her tongue. Although she couldn't probe nearly as deeply as she would have liked, due to the restrictions of her own muscles, she was still staggered by the molten velvet tightening around her tongue.

Natsuki's arousal slipped into her mouth now and she murmured at the indescribable taste. It was somewhere between sweet and tangy but she wasn't inclined to spend more time thinking about it at present. Her pulse quickened considerably as she plunged her tongue into her lover repeatedly, the muscles there tightening each time she did. She occasionally slid her tongue up to flick over Natsuki's clit once before thrusting back into the other girl. The combination was quickly building her lover back into the frenzied state she'd been in previously. Natsuki's hips rocked erratically and Shizuru's pressure on her stomach was having no effect now.

She lifted herself again, but only enough to allow her right hand better access to her lover's lips. She ran the tips of her forefinger and middle finger along the length of Natsuki's centre, coating them in the wetness she found there. She peered up at the other girl's face but she couldn't get a very good view of it. She watched as the younger girl's chest rose and fell quickly. Shizuru's attention went back to her fingers and she heard Natsuki's breath hitch as she paused her movements at her entrance. She couldn't hold herself back any more, she needed to be inside her lover, she needed to claim her.

Even with that burning desire, Shizuru slipped her fingers into Natsuki slowly. The drawn-out moan that reached her ears almost made her discard her plan altogether but, if she could elicit that kind of sound from the other girl, then she wanted to continue as she was. She pulled out just as carefully, before pushing into Natsuki again. She could feel her lover's inner walls squeeze her fingers each time she slid into her and she had to bite down on her own bottom lip to stop herself from moaning at the sensation.

Deciding it would be best to give her lips something else to do, Shizuru slipped Natsuki's clit into her mouth once more, brushing her tongue across is from time to time. The continual pace changing seemed to be making the younger girl incredibly frustrated and she bucked her hips up at Shizuru in an effort to tell her she needed more. _Perhaps I've kept her hanging on enough,_ the Kaichou thought as she thrust her fingers into Natsuki abruptly. Her back arching further and a gasp passing her lips, Natsuki's right hand groped frantically for something to hold onto.

Shizuru slid her hand from her lover's stomach and laced her fingers with the other girl's. Natsuki clung to her as the President took her closer to a release she desperately needed. Shizuru plunged into Natsuki with increased fervour now, the sound of her fingers meeting the slick confines of her lover searing away all coherent thought and leaving behind only the yearning to pleasure the other girl. The throbbing between her legs grew to an almost unbearable level now and the muscles in her gut tightened each time Natsuki whimpered or moaned.

Her tongue swept across the nub between her lips rapidly and erratically as Shizuru wasn't able to concentrate on keeping any kind of rhythm. Instinctively, her fingertips brushed across the sensitive area on Natsuki's front wall as she thrust into her, driving her lover further into her maddened state. Shizuru could feel the tension surging in the other girl and it wouldn't be long until it peaked. She had no desire to stop that from happening this time though and so she continued to pump her fingers into Natsuki.

She could feel her lover's inner walls pulsing around her fingers and she knew the changes in Natsuki's movements meant she would climax soon. Intending to make that as powerful as possible for her, Shizuru pushed forcefully into the other girl, the tips of her fingers flickering against Natsuki's front wall repeatedly. She sucked gently on her lover's clit as the younger girl panted and squirmed. She alternated between caressing Natsuki's inner walls and thrusting into her, pushing the other girl ever closer to her orgasm.

"Shnn..." The sound escaped Natsuki's lips as her grip tightened on Shizuru's hand and the Kaichou wondered if she was trying to say something. Nevertheless, she continued to assault the other girl's clit and paid particular attention to that sweet spot deep within her. She could feel Natsuki's muscles contracting now and her breathing came in erratically short spurts. "Shizuru..."

Her name had been almost whispered but she hadn't missed it. It was almost enough to make her actions falter completely and she could feel the blood rush to her face. That one word spoken at such a time held such power in it; the power to stop her heart beating, if only for a few seconds, the power to keep air from leaving her lungs, and the power to bring tears to Shizuru. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to ignore the stinging behind them and thrust forcefully into her lover.

The last sudden contact between Shizuru's fingertips and Natsuki's front wall was what finally tipped her over. The younger girl tensed and whimpered, her back arching as her muscles quaked around Shizuru's fingers. She continued to stroke her tongue across the swollen nub in her mouth but with lighter touches now. She also stilled the thrusting of her hand but kept brushing her fingertips against the sensitive spot inside. Natsuki continued to convulse for some time before she relaxed suddenly, releasing the breath she'd subconsciously held in. Shizuru ceased her movements then and let her gaze drift up along her lover's body, watching as she trembled from her aftershocks. Her skin was flushed a light shade of pink now and a light sheen of perspiration covered her chest. It was a breathtaking view.

She placed one final kiss against Natsuki's damp curls and lifted herself, her tongue darting out to lick at her lips. She allowed her fingers to slip out of her lover as well, enjoying the shudder that caused in the other girl. Clouded emerald appeared as Natsuki opened her eyes to take in the view of Shizuru staring back at her. Fixing her gaze with her lover's, Shizuru slipped her fingers into her mouth, her tongue claiming every trace of Natsuki upon them. This caused the younger girl to blush fiercely and she averted her eyes. Shizuru held back the chuckle she knew would follow that adorable display.

She moved back up the body of her lover, placing kisses against heated skin as she went before finally reaching Natsuki's lips. She stared at them for a moment before her gaze shifted back to the other girl's eyes. She wondered what was going through her mind. If, indeed, she was capable of conscious thought at that moment. She pressed her lips lightly against Natsuki's, their mouths merely brushing. If the younger girl found the taste unpleasant, she didn't show it and Shizuru felt a hand at her neck pulling her in for a firmer kiss. She murmured appreciatively as a tongue brushed against her bottom lip but she didn't deepen the kiss. Instead she pulled back, a somewhat confused look in her lover's eyes.

She glanced up at the sky, noting the sun was getting fairly low now. Soon it would duck behind the mountain and the temperature would drop considerably. "We should let the sun dry our clothes before heading back," she suggested, attempting to alleviate any post coital awkwardness. Of course, it was also a thinly veiled ploy to keep Natsuki with her just a bit longer.

"Mm," Natsuki agreed, apparently distracted.

Shizuru looked back at her and slipped an arm around the younger girl's waist, pulling her against the Kaichou. Natsuki didn't object or resist and actually leaned into the embrace, her hand slipping down to join her cheek as she rested it against the older girl's chest. Shizuru slid her hand up the younger girl's back, leaving a shiver in its wake, and held her tightly. This was something they had never done; merely held one another.

"Shizuru..?" The question was oddly meek and Shizuru found herself tightening her hold on the other girl. She didn't think she'd ever tire of hearing Natsuki say her name.

"Yes?" She had a feeling she didn't want the younger girl asking what she was about to, but she couldn't help responding.

"Do you..?" Natsuki paused, her words hesitant and full of uncertainty. "How... How do you really feel?"

The question was somewhat disjointed but Shizuru knew exactly what she was asking. _Oh, Natsuki..._ "Feel about what?" She feigned ignorance.

There was a pause and Shizuru found herself holding her breath. "Me." The single word was almost whispered.

Shizuru forced her eyes closed, pain worming its way around her heart. She could just tell her; just let the words slip out, as if by accident. "I think Natsuki is very cute." _Coward._

The girl in her arms pushed herself away from Shizuru and propped herself up on an elbow. The Kaichou had to quickly free her features of the pained expression that had taken hold. Natsuki reached out a shaky hand and touched her fingertips to Shizuru's sternum, just above her pounding heart. "How you _really_ feel, Shizuru."

The Student Council President took that hand in her own and held it away from her chest, the touch feeling as though it was burning her. "Don't ask that..." she breathed.

Natsuki's eyes widened slightly but the surprise was quickly replaced by hurt. It was almost unbearable to look upon. She looked as though she might give up the conversation altogether but then a determined glint brightened those emerald orbs. "I already did. Now answer the question." Her voice was as firm as her gaze.

As much as she tried to keep her eyes level with Natsuki's, she couldn't help her gaze dropping from the weight of her shame. _What harm could it possibly do telling her now? Isn't it just confirming what she should already suspect? "_I..." _No, it would tie me to her. And her to me. I can't do that with everything that's at stake. I can't allow her to feel that way for me... "_Can we not just enjoy this moment without the burden of words?"

When Shizuru looked up at Natsuki she could see anger flaring behind her eyes. "No, dammit. I need to know!"

Shizuru pulled herself into a kneeling position and turned her head to gaze off at the waterfall, the sound a familiarly relaxing one. Why must her burden be so heavy? She yearned to be free of it, to just be a normal student who didn't have to worry about protecting everyone around her. It was ironic really; she had to push the one person she truly cared for away for the sake of protecting the student body when it was this girl who had given her that motivation in the first place. Fate really was cruel.

"You're not even going to bother answering, are you?" Natsuki growled, her temper getting the better of her.

Shizuru's head snapped back towards the other girl. "Natsuki..." she said painfully.

"If you don't care, just say it!" she snapped, pulling her clothes to her in a vain attempt to cover her exposed body.

_How could you think that? _She reached out for the other girl, her hands finding struggling forearms. She pulled Natsuki back into her arms, despite her resistance, and merely held onto her. "Please..." she whispered into dark tresses, not entirely sure what she was pleading for.

Perhaps it was the pain lining her words or perhaps Natsuki was merely tired of fighting against her, but the younger girl ceased her struggles and relaxed against Shizuru. Relieved she had, the Kaichou ran a hand up and down across the skin of Natsuki's back soothingly. She could only wish for a time when she could do this freely. The pair of them sat there, frozen in their embrace and from their unspoken words until the sun no longer touched their skin and the chill crept in around them.


	9. Chapter 9

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**In response to MHDestiny: **__It seems you misread my notes at the beginning of the the previous chapter. I mentioned Reito didn't appear in Chapter 7 of Destiny Awaits, not in Destiny itself. I also mentioned the principal was his brother, since I was trying to clear up the apparent (but quite understandable) confusion between Rei and Reito. Also, Reito actually appears in Chapter 5 of this story, so clearly I realise he exists. :P Yep, there certainly aren't enough Destiny fictions, and yet there's so much untapped potential!_

_**Notes: **__I must apologise for the lack of updates this week, but it's not been the best for me and I just wasn't in the mood to write. Hopefully the next one will be better. :)_

_**Timeline: **__Note that I'll be breaking away from the Destiny-verse's time line more and more from this point._

_**Dedication: **__For my Li'l Tiger._

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"Kuga!"

Natsuki grimaced at the door to her dorm, the combination of shouting and pounding on wood intensifying the headache she already had. It was hard to discern who the muffled voice belonged to but she could tell it was female, at least. It wasn't like the noise had interrupted her sleep since she'd been lying awake for hours but she certainly didn't want company. Who would even be wanting to talk to her anyway?

"Kuga, open the hell up!"

Natsuki slipped out of the bed and picked up the pair of jogging pants she had discarded on the floor earlier in the evening. She pulled them on and shuffled to the door, running a hand through her mussed hair in an attempt to make herself appear somewhat presentable. She probably still looked like a mess anyway. She hadn't been sleeping much since she'd returned from the waterfall a few days prior. After having received no response to her question from Shizuru, it seemed obvious to Natsuki that the Kaichou had been using her. _But... the way she touched me, the way she looked at me... _Her heart had been in conflict since then. She felt betrayed and hurt but there was a part of her that still held out hope; that emotional, pathetic part of her psyche that she wished would just shut up.

Natsuki frowned as she unlocked the door, the thudding becoming even louder. Before she had a chance to turn the handle, the door flew open and Nao almost ran straight into her. The redhead whirled around and slammed the door closed. Natsuki stared at her in disbelief as the younger girl panted desperately, as if she'd just been through an intense workout.

"What the hell is up with you?" Natsuki demanded.

Nao looked at her over one shoulder, her eyes wide with panic. "That creepy bitch is after me!"

Natsuki's brow furrowed, her confusion growing. "What are you talking about?"

The redhead spun to face Natsuki now, her back pressed firmly against the door. Was she trying to barricade it? "Shiho! Crap, they must have figured it out!" Nao rambled, her eyes narrowing.

The hairs on the back of Natsuki's neck bristled at the mention of Shiho's name. _She's back? Why hadn't I heard about it? Surely the gossip-mongers would have jumped on that._ "You're not making any sense. Why would Shiho be after you?"

"There's no time for this, we have to leave now!" Nao insisted, her voice straining as she glanced to the left and eyed the window nervously.

"Hold up - we? Since when am I involved in this? Don't just go dragging me into your messes." Natsuki could feel herself getting more and more irritated.

"You're involved whether you like it or not," Nao snapped, her eyes narrowing.

"Like hell I am," Natsuki spat back and grabbed the other girl by the arm, fully intending to throw her out of the dorm room. "I have enough to deal with without you adding to it."

"Do you want to find out about your mother or not?" Nao's words caused Natsuki to freeze mid-action. What could she possibly know?

Natsuki's grip on the younger girl's arm tightened and Nao flinched at the pressure. "What do you know?" she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Stop it!" The redhead jerked her arm out of Natsuki's hand and rubbed at it. "Jeez, Kuga, you're starting to lose it."

The older girl clenched her fists at her sides. Maybe Nao was right; was she starting to feel the weight of recent events? "You're the one who's running from some pig-tailed snot of a girl. Really, I would have thought you'd be able to hold your own against her."

Nao took a more aggressive stance now, clearly annoyed by the other girl's outburst. "Watch it, I'm willing to show you what that bitch was talking about. Or do you not appreciate that?"

"Maybe I'm getting tired of people trying to use information against me." Natsuki let out a sigh.

Seemingly forgetting the danger she was running from, Nao rolled her eyes at the older girl. "That's the way the world works. People have things you don't have and try to rub it in your face. If you don't want to get walked all over, you need to take it from them."

Natsuki quirked an eyebrow at the redhead. "So you're trying to tell me to take the information from you?"

Holding her hands up in front of her, Nao let out a short laugh. "Uh, no. I'm trying to tell you that you need to stop whining about not getting your own way and just come with me already."

The older girl let out a disapproving grunt and crossed her arms across her chest. If Nao was trying to be persuasive, she was going about it the wrong way completely. Negative reinforcement didn't work well on Natsuki. "Forget it."

The redhead let out an exasperated groan and shoved a hand into her cardigan, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. She held it out towards the other girl. "Here, I was saving this for my dramatic reveal later, but you're not giving me a whole lot of choice."

Natsuki's brow furrowed as she stared at the piece of paper. She took it from the redhead and unfolded it, revealing an official looking typed document with a black and white photograph printed onto the top right corner. She felt the blood drain from her face as she stared down at it. The document appeared to be a company profile and the name at the top was Saeko Kuga. Her mouth felt suddenly dry and she could feel an icy chill creep down her spine.

"You can read it on the way." She was vaguely aware of Nao's voice but she couldn't tear her gaze away from those hauntingly familiar eyes.

"Where... where did you get this?" she whispered.

"Kuga, we don't have time for this." Now it was the redhead's turn to grab Natsuki's arm. The older girl was tugged towards the door and her eye contact with the page was broken.

Natsuki could feel suppressed emotions bubbling up inside her and she fought against them, attempting to force them down to where she had sealed them years ago. A vague burning sensation in her stomach and a tightness in her chest told her she was starting to lose that battle. Faced with the prospect of learning more about her mother, she couldn't just turn away from Nao and ignore what she had to say. Even if it was a lie, she had to take the risk.

With her heart pounding erratically in her chest, Natsuki swallowed hard and looked up at the other girl. "Okay... lead the way."

The redhead seemed a little surprised that Natsuki had actually given in but her expression soon hardened. Her fingers closing around the handle, Nao yanked the door open. A rush of cool air brushed past the both of them and Natsuki peered out across the night-enveloped school grounds. She spotted no movement but she wasn't going to assume they were safe.

Nao slipped out the door and glanced back at Natsuki, motioning for the older girl to follow her. Take one last quick look at the piece of paper in her hand, Natsuki reminded herself why she was going blindly into danger before hurrying out of her dorm room. She closed the door behind her and watched as the redhead launched herself into a run away from the building. Natsuki checked her surroundings before following the other girl, glad when she noted they were alone.

As they ran, Natsuki shoved the piece of paper into her pocket, not wanting to lose her grip on it. She desperately wanted to read it over but their movement wouldn't allow for it. As they continued to speed across the academy grounds, she could feel the goosebumps rising on her arms and wished she had thought to put a jacket on over the black vest she'd worn to bed. It was then that she noticed they were approaching the main gate to the academy. Her brow furrowed as she looked towards the high stone walls and the large black double gates that barred entrance to the school. Why were they headed there? Just where was Nao taking her?

The redhead came to a stop several meters away from the gate, glancing back over her shoulder nervously. Natsuki followed her gaze but saw nothing. _Wasn't Shiho meant to be following her? She'd better not be lying about that. _Nao turned towards the older girl then.

"We're leaving," was all she said and Natsuki's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Leaving? Where are we going?"

The redhead glanced around the area again. "The place where that piece of paper comes from. It's easier if I show you."

Confusion creased Natsuki's brow further. "What are you talking about? There's nothing around here for miles, how are we supposed to travel anywhere?"

Nao smirked slightly, the paranoia fading from her eyes momentarily. "That's what you think."

Natsuki didn't have any idea what the other girl was talking about but, just as she was going to release another onslaught of angry questions, the older girl felt a shiver pass through her. Something was wrong. She looked from left to right, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. Nao seemed to notice her unrest and her smirk quickly faded. _Is it Shiho I can sense? _Whoever was the cause, Natsuki had picked up on a shift in the spiritual energy nearby. They definitely weren't alone.

"What is it? Nao hissed, her voice dropping.

Holding up a hand, Natsuki's gaze went to the gate and she was sure she could see movement. Something stirred on one of the pillars that framed the iron gates but the darkness prevented her from seeing what. She pointed in its direction, effectively warning Nao. The redhead's eyes narrowed as she peered to where Natsuki had motioned but it seemed as though Nao wasn't having any better luck seeing what was there.

The only sound that reached Natsuki's ears was the howling of the wind through the crags and peaks of the mountain and she found herself wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. Her pulse quickened as she spotted it again and she was sure she wasn't imagining it now. The clouds parted momentarily to allow a pool of moonlight to cascade across the gateway and Natsuki's eyes widened in shock at the stone pillar.

Atop the column was what she knew to be a stone gargoyle that looked out over the mountain road leading to Fuuka Academy. It wasn't looking that way now though. It had turned its head and was peering straight at her. Nao let out a surprised cry as she spotted the statue as well. How could it possibly move on its own? Its thin tail uncoiled from around its body and the sound of cracking rock echoed into the night as two wings extended suddenly.

"How..?" Nao muttered incredulously.

Natsuki concentrated, bringing one of her pistols into reality and gripping it tightly. She had a feeling this creature wasn't going to be friendly. As she raised her weapon to aim towards it, the gargoyle turned slowly, fixing its stony gaze upon Natsuki. _Can my bullets even effect a statue? _She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins now, her body tensed and ready for battle. The creature didn't seem inclined to make another move yet though and it was only the sway of its tail that let Natsuki know it hadn't reverted back to being an inanimate ornament.

"Do you like my little pet?" Natsuki's head snapped to the right as she heard the voice. Stood on the other side of the gate was the green-haired girl she had seen a few days ago. What was her connection to the gargoyle?

"Tomoe?" Nao seemed just as confused as to why the other girl was there.

"Don't you know it's against school rules to leave the grounds without permission?" Tomoe asked with a slight sneer.

Nao placed a hand on her hip but Natsuki could tell her confidence was just a front. "You too, huh?"

"I'm just enforcing Fuuka Academy policy. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" Tomoe's tone was almost mocking now.

"You don't even know what you've gotten involved in, do you?" Nao countered.

Tomoe's eyes narrowed and Natsuki could see anger flash through them. "What would you know?" As she spat out the words, her gaze flitted to the gargoyle and it now took the opportunity to leap down from the pillar. Its jaws parted menacingly, revealing rows of jagged teeth.

Nao took several steps backwards and Natsuki could feel the moisture collecting in her palms. She tightened her grip on her pistol again, her forefinger hovering over the trigger. Was Tomoe controlling this thing? What did that mean her MiKO power was, then? Could she control stone, perhaps? A thought occurred to her then and she shifted her aim, bringing the barrel of her gun level with Tomoe's torso. If she took down the green haired girl then that would stop the gargoyle as well. _I hope._

The animated statue seemed to notice this though and charged forwards, using its arms to propel itself along the ground in conjunction with its legs. Its wings flexed behind it but it didn't appear to have any intention of trying to use them for flight. At the speed it approached, Natsuki's gun arm wavered and she wasn't sure who to take the shot at. If she took down Tomoe now, it wouldn't stop the momentum of the stone hurtling towards her.

Nao took the choice from her, however, when she placed her hands in front of her and released a surge of power. Natsuki could actually feel the build up of spiritual energy in the air around them. _Is this what Shizuru was talking about? _A wave of telekinetic power sped towards the gargoyle. Natsuki's eyes widened as it passed right through it and crashed into the gate behind, causing the iron to buckle. Tomoe stumbled back a few paces in surprise.

"What the hell?" Nao spat.

The sound of stone grinding against stone neared Natsuki and she hurled herself out of the path of the creature, tumbling across the grass roughly. Her eyes shot from the statue to Tomoe, who was grinning, clearly pleased with herself. Natsuki raised her weapon again, intent on removing that smug expression. Her finger twitched against the trigger and she fired off a fairly mild shot. She was unlucky though and Tomoe had seen the movement of her weapon already, ensuring she dropped down to her knees to avoid the psychic bullet.

"Bitch..." Natsuki heard the venomous word drift across to her even though it was spoken through clenched teeth.

The sound of the gargoyle moving again from behind her prevented Natsuki from lining up another shot and she scrambled to her feet, quickly locating Nao. The redhead was staring in confusion at the stone creature, as if she couldn't comprehend why he telekinesis wouldn't have any effect. Natsuki couldn't think of a reasonable explanation either. Then again, she didn't have much time to think at present. The gargoyle turned to face them once more, its tail swishing dangerously behind it.

"If you don't want to become his next meal, I'd suggest to get back to your rooms," called Tomoe from behind the gate. _How did she get out there anyway?_

"Since when were you part of the disciplinary committee?" Natsuki asked, her tone laced in ice.

She heard the green haired girl chuckle, which only proved to irritate Natsuki further. "The Principal recognised my potential, I guess." Letting her gaze flicker from the gargoyle back to Tomoe, Natsuki wondered if the other girl was telling the truth or not. "He thinks I'll work well with Fujino-sama."

Whether it was the mere mention of Shizuru's name or the dream-like way Tomoe pronounced each syllabul of it, Natsuki could feel the blood draining from her face and a chill ran through her. What did this girl have to do with Shizuru? Wasn't she just another fan girl? Shizuru hadn't seemed to give her any special treatment in that courtyard but did that even mean anything? Natsuki scowled at her inner dialogue; she didn't have time to think about it.

Tomoe seemed distracted now. _Perhaps she's off in her little dream world with 'Fujino-sama'. _She turned her attention back to the gargoyle, hoping to take advantage of the stone beast faltered now and Natsuki was sure she could see it flickering. _What the hell..? _She glanced at Tomoe again and the green haired girl seemed to notice her lack of concentration. She glared back at Natsuki.

"As I said, get back to your rooms. You will be disciplined properly tomorrow," Tomoe ordered.

The gargoyle shifted again and Natsuki noticed there was no hesitation in its movements now. Her brow furrowed as she tried to connect the dots, something niggling at the back of her mind. _Is her control over it not absolute? Is there a reason she's standing out there? _She needed to test her theory but the barrier of the gate was a problem.

Circling the gargoyle slowly as it watched her, Natsuki made her way towards Nao. "I need you to do something for me, Yuuki."

The redhead didn't take her eyes off the gargoyle. "What?"

"Do you think you could take care of that gate?"

Nao's gaze slid towards the buckled iron now and a smirk pulled at one corner of her lips. "You handle Rocky here and I'll go rattle the brat's cage."

"Sure," Natsuki agreed, not entirely sure how she was meant to _handle_ the gargoyle.

Slinking off in the direction of the gate, Natsuki decided to leave Nao to her task and focused her attention on the slowly advancing gargoyle. Each of its strides were heavy and her eyes darted down to large feet stomping against the grass. _No footprints. Not even a disturbed blade of grass. _She had sensed something was off about all of this and she was beginning to understand what it was.

Before she could act on that though, a screech filled the air and Natsuki's gaze shot to the gate. Nao held a hand out and seemed to be straining while the iron shook on its hinges. Tomoe seemed horrified at this new turn of events and Natsuki was sure the gate wouldn't be an obstacle for much longer. All of a sudden, the screech was drowned out by an even more abrasive, high pitched noise. Natsuki fell to her knees and clutched her head as pain shot through it. _Shiho..._

She knew the sound instantly. The pitch was unmistakable, as well as the effect it had on her. The sound eventually eased up, leaving a ringing in her ears and a burning in her head. She opened her eyes, the moonlight seeming intense to her now and she squinted at the figure of Shiho who was walking leisurely towards her. She was wearing her uniform and her hair was still in its usual pigtails but something seemed different about her. Her expression was more placid than it had been in their other encounters but there was still that hate glimmering behind her eyes.

"I was so hoping you'd be tagging along with Yuuki," Shiho stated, looking directly at Natsuki.

"You decided to make an appearance at last," Natsuki forced through clenched teeth.

Shiho paused a few metres aways, her gaze burning into the other girl. "I would have come find you if sooner if I could."

Natsuki shakily got to her feet, relieved that she hadn't lost her grip on her weapon. "We have a conversation to finish," she sneered at the pigtailed girl. Shiho's eyes narrowed at her words but they soon shifted to behind Natsuki when the grating sound of metal buckling resumed.

It was quickly followed by the sound of stone crumbling and Natsuki glanced towards the gate, a satisfied smirk pulling at her lips when she saw the iron barrier tumble towards Tomoe. The green haired girl scrambled back out of harm's way, falling onto her backside in the process. Natsuki wanted to go right after her then but she knew Shiho wouldn't just allow her to walk away. She hoped Nao would be able to manage on her own.

Her attention returning to Shiho, Natsuki noticed the other girl seemed somewhat conflicted about whether to help out Tomoe or to concentrate on her current target. _Are they working together? _It seemed a strange match-up to Natsuki but she figured they were probably just as crazy as one another so perhaps the team wasn't so unlikely after all. Apparently making her decision, Shiho glared at Natsuki and took a step forward, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Before you start screaming again..." Natsuki began, not entirely sure if that would just encourage the other girl to attack or not. "...how about telling me what you know about my mother."

Shiho snorted at her. "As if you don't know."

Natsuki lifted her pistol, aiming for Shiho's head this time. "I won't be so lenient this time. I'll shoot to maim," she warned, her voice coated in ice.

A flicker of uncertainty passed across Shiho's face and it seemed she was unsure if Natsuki was bluffing or not. _Good, that works in my favour._ "You... you don't have that kind of control inside the barrier."

Natsuki resisted the urge to smirk at the other girl's faltering voice. "Wanna test that theory out?"

Shiho's jaw clenched tightly and her eyebrow twitched as she eyed the pistol in Natsuki's hand. "She's the reason we're all like this," she finally said.

_Like what? _Was she referring to Natsuki's mother? "What are you talking about?"

"Is it possible you're completely clueless? Christ, how pathetic!" Shiho spat the words out and a mocking laugh rumbled from the back of her throat.

Natsuki's jaw tightened and she had to resist the urge to shoot the cocky girl right then. "Answer me, dammit!"

Shiho's mirth faded and she narrowed her eyes again. "Your precious mother is the reason we're all MiKO."

Confusion marred Natsuki's features. "You're lying... you're crazy!"

"Then why would she work for that lab?" Shiho asked, as if Natsuki would know what she was talking about.

_Lab..? _A vague memory tickled the back of her mind but she couldn't quite grasp it. Her hand had found its way subconsciously into her pocket and she felt the piece of paper there between her fingers. Her other senses still focused on Shiho, she let her gaze flicker to the paper as she pulled it out into the open. Her mother's face stared up at her but she forced her eyes to focus on the lines of text.

_Searrs Institute Personnel Profile #32811_

_Name: Saeko Kuga_

_Position: Senior Researcher_

_Project: RESTRICTED_

_Bio: Saeko Kuga is a highly skilled individual who specialises in genetic research. We believe her expertise can further our Hokkaido project greatly. She has one dependent who exhibits special characteristics and may have a future place in the project. Code Black security clearance to be granted when Saeko Kuga is fully integrated into the project. Regular reports to follow._

Natsuki could feel the world around her starting to spin and the ground beneath her feet felt decidedly unstable. Her grip tightened on the paper, crumpling it further and she shook her head in an attempt to steady herself. _No, it's not possible... She wouldn't have... _Natsuki was vaguely aware of the sound of harsh laughter but she couldn't focus on anything but that piece of paper. The words blurred before her eyes and she realised it was because tears were obscuring her vision. She blinked them away angrily, her gaze shooting towards Shiho.

"The pieces finally starting to come together, eh?" Shiho gloated, a smug grin contorting her features.

Natsuki waved the piece of paper in front of her as she tried to find words. "This... this... how could you know about any of it?"

"I don't walk around with my eyes closed, unlike you. You were living under the same roof as her and you didn't notice a single thing? Ha."

She could feel the rage churning in her stomach at Shiho's taunting words but she couldn't tell if she was lying or not. Would Nao purposely feed her false information? _She has no reason to, does she? _If she hadn't, then was it possible Shiho could be right? Stuffing the paper back in her pocket, she decided she couldn't find the answer to that by standing there and letting Shiho bait her. She had to deal with this and get the answers from Nao.

Shiho seemed to realise her advantage was slipping away and Natsuki noticed too late the way she braced herself and parted her lips to let out a piercing shriek. She could feel the air around her pulse slightly and the ground trembled minutely. Was this Shiho's doing? Natsuki stumbled to the side, hoping to distance herself from her attacker. She didn't know if moving away would help her evade the intensity of the sound but she couldn't do much else in her current condition.

Clutching her left hand to her head, Natsuki gripped the pistol in her right hand firmly as she staggered. She caught sight of movement off to her left as well now and she realised the gargoyle was on the move again. _God, can this get any worse? _She regretted the thought immediately as she heard Nao cry out from behind her. Knowing that she couldn't afford to waste another second, Natsuki raised her shaking arm and squeezed the trigger.

The spiritual energy left her body in a surge of power and milliseconds later Shiho was tumbling across the grass, her shriek turning into a whimper of pain. Natsuki had used more force than she'd intended as she wasn't able to concentrate properly but she knew she hadn't killed Shiho. The pigtailed girl was squirming on the grass now, both hands pressed against her chest as if preventing a wound from bleeding out. That was impossible though, none of Natsuki shots had ever left a physical mark on a person.

Hoping that Shiho would be out of commission for some time, Natsuki spun around to try and help Nao. Her view of the gate was blocked by the lumbering statue, however and she took a step backwards as it neared her. Gritting her teeth, she decided that it was time to test her theory. She just knew Tomoe would be watching with that smug expression of hers and there was nothing she wanted more at that moment than to wipe it off her face. Natsuki's muscles tensed as the stone creature stepped closer, its jaw hanging open in a vicious snarl and its claws reaching out towards her.

"You don't scare me..." Natsuki growled and launched herself forwards, pushing herself into a sprint as she closed the distance between her and the gargoyle. A rocky arm swiped aggressively at her as she abruptly pushed herself off the ground into a flying leap. Holding her breath and hoping she was right, she sped directly into the gargoyle and she was relieved when grass met her feet once more. A shimmer of energy passed through her as she made contact with where the gargoyle should have been.

Her gaze found Tomoe almost instantly and she was satisfied with the mixture of shock and anger that passed across her face. Natsuki had been right in her assumption, the gargoyle was merely an image conjured up by the green haired girl. The flickering she'd seen earlier had been Tomoe's concentration slipping. From the other girl's positioning, Natsuki guessed she had to stand outside the barrier to maintain an illusion of that quality. _So, she was trying to scare us off from leaving the academy, huh? What's she so afraid of us finding out? _

Natsuki continued on her sprint towards Tomoe, the fear in the green haired girl's eyes growing as she neared. She spotted Nao knelt on the ground holding her stomach. Had the redhead actually allowed herself to be hit by Tomoe? That surprised Natsuki. Perhaps Nao's telekinesis was more draining than she had expected. Tomoe's eyes flickered between the girl running towards her, Nao and Shiho. She looked torn between running and holding her ground.

Coming to a stop beside Nao, Natsuki aimed her weapon at the panicked green haired girl, her eyes narrowing. "Your little ruse is over. Tell me why you're trying to stop us."

Tomoe's face twisted in hate, her lips curling into a snarl. "Go to hell!"

"You first..." Natsuki hissed through clenched teeth. Before she could fire off a shot, she felt a hand on her arm and her gaze dropped to Nao who was struggling to her feet.

"No time, Kuga." She gestured over her shoulder and Natsuki looked behind them to spot Shiho picking herself up as well. _Damn it. _

Nao cautiously stepped over the downed iron gate as she eyed Tomoe. Natsuki followed the redhead's lead, ensuring her pistol didn't waver. She didn't know what other kind of tricks the girl could pull out of her sleeve so she wasn't going to take any unnecessary risks. The sound of hurried footsteps grinding against gravel told Natsuki that Nao had run off down the driveway so she took that as her cue to do the same. Tomoe didn't seem to be making a move to follow and Natsuki was almost disappointed. _It would have been a pleasure to shoot the crazy bitch._

She pumped her legs faster to try and catch up with the redhead, questions burning her mind. She wanted to ask Nao about where they were going; about what her mother had to do with all of this; and about why so many people seemed to know about it. Had Shiho been right? Had she been so blind to it all? Could her mother possibly been involved with secret research on the MiKOs? She didn't want to believe it. Nao veered off the driveway and ducked under a branch into the woods that lined the road. Natsuki hoped she'd find answers wherever they were headed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Destiny Awaits**

**A Mai HiME Destiny Fan Fiction**

_**Timeline: **__Note __that __I__'__ll __be __breaking __away __from __the __Destiny-verse__'__s __time__line __more __and __more__._

_**Notes: **__Not __particularly __happy __with __how __this __chapter __turned __out __but __at __least __it__'__s __actually __finished, __yes? __This __chapter __consists __of __only __one __scene __but __it __is __the __turning __point __in __the __story, __so __it__'__s __an __important __one._

* * *

The thick swell of foliage had given way to a dull grey concrete and Natsuki could only stare in confusion as she wondered where the hell a building had come from. It looked completely out of place, even with the plants attempting to reclaim the aging walls, thick vines snaking their way up to the flat roof. The overgrown greenery almost completely obscured a stone path that seemed to lead back towards the single road that meandered down the mountain. How long had this building been here? How long had it been abandoned?

From the way Nao edged through the trees Natsuki couldn't be sure it was deserted, however. As she moved forwards, she surveyed the old structure, noting that it wasn't tall enough to contain more than one floor. She suspected that was probably so it would be more difficult to spot. There seemed to be no windows either, which she found quite strange. It resembled a bunker more than a lab.

Nao paused and peered over her shoulder at her companion as she reached the wall facing them. "Doesn't look like much, eh?"

Even though Nao spoke in a whisper, the sound seemed unbearably loud to Natsuki. She quickly moved closer to the other girl. "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course," Nao insisted before turning her attention towards the building once more. "Now help me find the door."

Natsuki regarded the redhead with a bemused expression. "How hard can it be to find a door?"

When she received no reply, Natsuki walked around the edge of the concrete structure. She soon found herself back where she had started and there had been no door in sight. _Weird..._She began moving around the perimeter once more. When she rounded the first corner she found Nao standing there waiting.

"You walked right past it," she remarked with a nod towards the wall. She'd pulled aside various plant growths that had crept up the wall over the years. They'd managed to conceal the door quite nicely.

Natsuki ignored the smug grin on Nao's face and stepped towards the exposed door. She frowned when she spotted the locking mechanism on it. It looked rusty but still solid. Just beside it was a keypad with a slot, which she guessed would facilitate a key card or something similar. She placed a hand against the metal door, noting there was no obvious handle. She gave it a solid push but there was no movement at all.

"Just great," she muttered irritably. They'd trekked all this way only to be foiled by a rusty old door.

Nao leaned in, as if inspecting the lock more closely would force it to open. "Think we could force it?"

Giving her companion a withering glance, Natsuki grunted indignantly. "No chance." She kicked out at the door with one foot, the clang of her sneaker hitting the steel echoing obnoxiously in the air around them. She cringed at the noise.

"Clever, Kuga." Nao rolled her eyes.

"I think I can help you ladies," came a voice from directly behind them, causing both of them to flinch and whirl around. Standing there was Midori, a hand on her hip and the other one deliberately displaying a key card.

"You're late," Nao said as she visibly relaxed.

Natsuki watched in silence as Midori strode over to the door and tinkered with the keypad and card. She and Nao muttered to one another quietly, obviously quite familiar with each other's company. Midori tapped away at the keypad several times before cursing and repeating the action. _What__'__s__going__on__here?_Was no one who they appeared to be at this school, Natsuki wondered.

A low beep signalled Midori's triumph at entering the correct code and the door popped open, the slab of metal swinging inwards with a slight creak. "Ha!" Midori beamed as she pushed the door open further. "Come on, let's see what awaits us."

As she stepped inside, Natsuki laid a hand on Nao's upper arm, stopping her mid-stride. "What's going on?"

The redhead glanced down at Natsuki's hand and then towards Midori. "She's the one who told me about this place. She's trying to help us."

Uncertainty caused her to hesitate and Natsuki wasn't sure if she could trust Midori. How could she possibly know about the lab? About her mother? _Heck, __I__'__m __fairly __certain __I __can__'__t __trust __Nao __either. _Despite her concerns, there was the promise of answers from within this stone tomb. If there was a chance she could learn more about her mother, shouldn't she take it?

"Come on," Nao hissed quietly before slipping into the building.

Swallowing her doubts, Natsuki pushed onwards, stepping into the darkness beyond that old rusty door. After a few steps, she had to pause and let her eyes adjust to the gloominess. Darkness stretched across every inch of the interior and the air was thick with dust and the scent of mould. She brought a hand up to cover her mouth to suppress the urge to cough.

After several moments a small beam of light flickered into view in front of her. As it slid back and forth across the floor and walls, she realised Midori had brought a torch with her. _At __least __someone__'__s __prepared, _Natsuki thought. From the narrow field of vision she had now gained, Natsuki could tell that they were standing in a tiled corridor. She couldn't tell what colour anything was but that wasn't important anyway. She moved closer to her two companions, the sound of her footfalls reverberating down the narrow passage.

"How long has this place been deserted?" Nastuki whispered.

Midori turned to look at her, inadvertently blinding the dark haired girl for a moment when she shone the flashlight in her direction. "Oops, sorry," she said quickly before answering her question. "According to records it's been abandoned for ten years but that's just the official line."

"Yeah, I ain't going to believe a word those records say," Nao cut in.

Natsuki looked down at the floor beneath them, the thick layer of grime only interrupted by their footprints. "I don't know, this place looks the part."

Offering a shrug as her only response to that, Midori glanced around herself. "Let's see if we can find a records office or something." With that she turned and walked carefully down the corridor and away from Natsuki.

Not wanting to lose the light, Natsuki followed. She could only watch as Midori tried to open each door she came across. They were all locked. These doors were locked in a more conventional way – with a key – proving the key card useless now. The doors themselves seemed less sturdy than the entrance to the building, however, so it was possible they could be forced. It seemed she wouldn't have to resort to that just yet though as Nao came across an archway that led into another room.

Midori veered off in that direction as soon as she noticed the discovery and Natsuki had no choice but to do so as well. As the beam of light travelled over the surfaces of the room, she realised they were standing in a small office. A tall filing cabinet stood against one wall, with a single table sitting in the middle of the room. There was no chair in sight and there didn't appear to be any other furniture. Midori moved towards the filing cabinet immediately. Natsuki was fairly certain she wouldn't find anything worthwhile there. Who would be stupid enough to leave sensitive documents behind after abandoning a facility?

"Crap, nothing here!" Midori spat as she opened the drawers, confirming Natsuki's suspicions.

The raven haired girl leaned against the doorway and let out a sigh. She was beginning to wonder if she'd be dragged here under false pretences. Had her mother even worked here? Maybe Midori and Nao just wanted a little backup on their little adventure away from school. Still, she couldn't deny that they knew more than they should.

It was at that moment that Natsuki picked up on a noise from deeper within the building. She poked her head out of the office and peered down the length of the corridor. The action was fairly useless as she couldn't see a thing but she was able to make out a low humming noise. Was that machinery of some kind? It was so hard to tell as it was barely audible. She looked back over towards the other girls but, since they were busy with the cabinet still, she decided to act on her own. She preferred it that way, anyway – light or no.

She moved quietly out into the corridor and edged her way along the wall towards the far end of it. The unsettled dust tickled her nostrils, threatening to make her sneeze, but she resisted it. Her fingers trailed along the rough material of the wall, flakes of paint falling towards the flooring haphazardly as she tried to keep herself from knocking into anything. As she cautiously moved along, the slight humming from before grew gradually louder, telling her she was nearing the source. It still seemed fairly distant to her though. How big was the building anyway? It certainly didn't seem very large from the outside.

The edge of her sneaker met with the solid resistance of another wall and she realised that she must have reached the end of the hall. She reached out and fumbled blindly for a door or anything other than a wall. Her fingers brushed against something metallic and, as she gripped it, she felt the form of a door knob. Turning it slowly, she was satisfied when the door pulled open with a click.

As she shuffled closer to the doorway, she could make out a faint light coming from the bottom of what appeared to be a flight of stairs. Her brow furrowed as her mind went over the implications of that. _This __place __isn__'__t __so __abandoned __after __all. __Are __there __people __down __there?_ The hairs at the back of her neck bristled as her pulse quickened. Any number of dangers could be waiting for her down there. She briefly considered going back and getting her companions but her clumsy stumbling may attract attention. _I __don__'__t __need __their __help __anyway. __They__'__d __only __go __getting __themselves __hurt._

Moving with a bit more speed now, Natsuki crept down the steps, one at a time. The low light level in the stairwell allowed her to see where she was going. It also had the consequence of giving her position away should she come across anyone. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she spotted another door with a glass window. The room beyond was the source of the light.

She pressed herself up to the wall beside the door and kept out of view as she tried to get a look inside the room. It appeared to have a fairly large open area with cupboards lining at least one wall. The humming was louder now but she could also pick something else up. A trickle of perspiration slid down her neck as she recognised it as the murmur of voices. There were people down here. The air suddenly felt much heavier, making each breath a little more difficult to suck in. She wasn't sure if it was the dust or the apprehension causing it.

Natsuki leaned over slightly to try and catch a glimpse of who was talking, since she couldn't even tell if it was a man or a woman doing so. A flash of brown caused her to snap back to the wall beside the door. Somebody had just passed in front of the door, wearing a dark brown suit. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. The palms of her hands itched and she felt the need to summon her guns, to feel their reassuring weight in her grasp.

Deciding to give into her instincts, she concentrated for a moment and focused her energy into her palms. Both weapon materialised quickly and she let out a slow breath as she turned her attention back to the other room. _What __the __hell __are __Nao __and __Midori __doing? _She was starting to regret coming on her own. For some reason, she had a feeling she was about to walk into trouble. Her gaze shifted down the door to the handle. It was a normal handle and not a knob so she wouldn't have to relinquish her hold on one of her guns. She reached out and slowly pushed down on the metal, hoping that it wouldn't make any sudden sounds.

The door slid open an inch and the speech from within the room suddenly rose in volume. She recognised the one speaking as male but she didn't recognise it instantly.

"—poorly. I want better results."

"Yes," came a female voice. It sounded fairly mature.

"And what about you? Are you going to give me an answer about that Kuga girl?" She froze as the male spoke her name. A chord of familiarity was struck within her. She knew this man. "Don't walk away when I'm talking—"

_Principal Kanzaki._

She pushed herself off of the wall and spun around, bringing both of her weapons up to aim at the people within as she kicked open the door. Standing in the middle of the room with their backs to her were the Principal and a woman Natsuki recognised as the Chairwoman. What were they doing here? They noticed her presence immediately.

Both of them seemed shocked but the Principal's expression soon turned to one of amusement. That set her on edge. "Speak of the devil," he said smoothly.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, her aim never wavering.

"Kuga-san, lower your weapons at once," Fumi stated firmly, taking a step in Natsuki's direction.

"Stop right there. No one's moving until I get some damn answers!"

Kanzaki's expression hardened and he turned to fully face her. "Do you really think I'm going to be amenable with you threatening me like this?"

She pressed her lips together firmly. He was probably right but there was no way she was lowering her guard. "I don't think you'll be cooperative in any situation."

To her surprise, he let out a short laugh. "Do try to remember who the Principal here is and who the student is."

The clatter of footsteps behind her informed Natsuki that Nao and Midori were finally on their way. Midori came to a sudden stop behind her, huffing for breath. "Don't go rushing off like—"

"...the hell?" came Nao's surprised exclamation.

"The lack of discipline amongst the students is quite shocking. Out of school grounds, breaking and entering..." the Principal remarked in an off-handed manner. The ease at which he spoke was unsettling Natsuki. What was there to be so laid back about?

"Principal Kanzaki?" Midori spoke with some hesitance.

He regarded her with curiosity. "I don't know your face. What's your name?"

"Don't think me so stupid," she replied.

"Midori Sugiura," the Chairwoman interjected coolly, much to Midori's chagrin.

"Thank you," Kanzaki nodded at Fumi. "Now, tell me what has you so worked up that you have to come all the way out here with such hostility?"

Natsuki found his feigned ignorance unbelievable. How could he act like that with a straight face? Did he seriously think he would fool them? She stepped forwards into the room, her eyes darting between the Principal and Chairwoman, her weapons aimed at both of them. Kanzaki watched her with the predatory gaze of an experienced hunter.

"How about you tell us what you're doing here instead?" Natsuki countered his question.

The Principal looked over at Fumi and spoke to her, even though his words were aimed at the girls. "We really must start a class that addresses etiquette. It seems our students don't know how to respond to simple questions from their elders."

"Cut the crap!" Natsuki snapped. Kanzaki's face shifted from its charming expression to something much colder. Dread swelled in Natsuki's stomach and she tensed, unsure of what to expect next.

"That's enough." Each of his words was laced with ice. "You will submit yourself to the custody of the Chairwoman and return to the school grounds for disciplinary action."

"Like hell we will," Natsuki replied with a sneer.

"I've tolerated this insolence enough. We don't allow such behaviour to go unpunished here." The Principal's eyes narrowed as he spoke. "Fumi, take them back to the school."

The Chairwoman took two steps towards them, causing Natsuki to back into Nao. Midori moved past the other girls then, placing herself in front of them. "Whoa, whoa." She held up both hands in front of her. "There's no need for any of this."

"Oh, I think there is," Kanzaki replied sternly. "The fact that you're here in the first place is bad enough. This open defiance just compounds things."

Midori let out a nervous laugh. "You can't blame us for being curious about this place, right? Youthful thirst for knowledge and all that?"

Natsuki was beginning to get fed up with all the dancing around the real questions. They were never going to get answers this way. "What do you use this lab for?"

The Principal's attention went back to Natsuki. "Who says we use it for anything?" More avoidance. Natsuki sneered at him again.

Perhaps sensing her companion's rising anger, Midori interjected. "Why would you be here if you weren't using it for anything?"

"It's owned by the school," Fumi answered for the Principal.

"Not that we should have to explain ourselves to the students," Kanzaki added.

"I suppose you just come here to chat about me then?" Natsuki asked snidely.

"You might have come up in passing conversation. I don't think it's unreasonable for the staff to discuss their students. Do you?" the Principal replied.

"That's—" she started but was cut off quickly by the Principal.

"Fumi."

The Chairwoman moved towards them again, her gaze focusing on Midori as she was still in front of Nao and Natsuki. Midori visibly tensed and clenched her fists, readying herself for a confrontation. It didn't seem as though they were going to be able to avoid one now. Natsuki continued to aim her pistols at both the Principal and Fumi.

Before the Chairwoman could reach them, Midori raised a hand into the air. As she did so, a shimmer of blue light flashed in front of her, leaving a wall of energy blocking Fumi's path. Was this her MiKO power? Natsuki couldn't really guess at what it did but it seemed to give the advancing woman pause for thought. Fumi shot a hesitant glance towards the Principal and he seemed to pick up on whatever had gone through her mind.

"I think your presence is required, Fujino-san," Kanzaki uttered confidently, his gaze never leaving Natsuki.

The mention of the Student Council President's name sent a chill through Natsuki. Confusion as well as a growing sense of dread swelled within her as the Principal and she eyed each other. Then movement from behind him drew her attention and the muscles in her chest tightened.

Shizuru emerged from a darkened doorway, her sheathed katana grasped in one hand. She moved forwards with a confident stride and her ruddy eyes were cold and distant. If she noticed Natsuki standing there, she didn't show it. She lifted her sword to her hip, as Natsuki had seen her do at the waterfall, her thumb moving to the guard in preparation for unsheathing the blade.

"Shizuru..." The name had left Natsuki's lips before she could stop herself. She had always insisted that the Student Council were corrupt but, now that she was faced with the reality of it, she just couldn't bring herself to believe it. Was Shizuru really in on all of this? Would Natsuki be forced to fight her? What was really going on here?

In that moment, the Kaichou's gaze flickered to Natsuki before returning to its previous position. The situation was getting more complicated by the second and Natsuki wasn't sure if she should press on now that she seemed to be uncovering something or just turn on her heel and flee. The internal conflict left her stomach feeling unsettled but she knew that running would do nothing for her. She was committed to this. She had to see it through to the end.

"F-Fujino-sama? You're mixed up in this too?" Midori's voice shook slightly as she spoke.

"She's merely doing as she's told, just as you should," Kanzaki pointed out.

"I insist that you return to the school as you have been asked to," Shizuru murmured softly, as though the three girls had just been marched into the Student Council room for disciplinary action. It was surreal to hear her talking so calmly in that situation but the whole series of events was bizarre to Natsuki.

An uncomfortable silence stretched out between them all and eyes flitted from person to person as they each tried to assess one another. Natsuki noticed Midori swallowing awkwardly and the normally confident girl seemed to be afraid.

"I... guess we could," Midori said hesitantly, peering over her shoulder at her two companions for approval. Nao merely nodded quickly, obviously feeling their chances of success in a fight here were fairly low.

"Please do," Shizuru replied, lowering her sword arm to a relaxed position once more.

Nao didn't need telling twice. She turned and moved towards the door, placing a hand on Natsuki's forearm as she went. Natsuki resisted the tugging of the other girl. Indecision rooted her to the spot still. If she left now, she might never get any answers but there was the chance she wouldn't be able to leave if she didn't take the opportunity.

"Come on!" Nao hissed under her breath, hints of panic in her tone.

"Actually..." the Principal called out, causing everyone in the room to look his way. "I think it's too late for that."

"Sir?" Shizuru asked in surprise.

"What kind of message would we be sending if we allowed them to walk out of here?" he asked with a nauseatingly pleasant smile on his face. When no response came, he continued. "Besides, I think now is as good a time as any to get started."

The usually unaffected Fumi now showed signs of surprise as well. "Now?"

Kanzaki's eyebrow twitched slightly as he glanced at her. "Yes. Was I not clear?"

What was he talking about? Natsuki clenched her jaw. It was frustrating just how little she knew. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the Principal slip his hands into his trouser pockets, one corner of his mouth quirking upwards as he eyed the three girls in front of him.

"Shizuru, my dear, please take care of these delinquents." His tone would not seem out of place when asking a student to hand him a book or file. The hidden menace in his words sent a shiver down Natsuki's spine.

Uncharacteristically, Shizuru hesitated. Her brow furrowed a little as she looked at the Principal. "Sir, I—"

His expression shifted in an instant, anger flaring in his eyes as he snapped at her. "Do it!"

They stared at one another for several painfully long moments before Shizuru turned to face the three girls again. She shifted her weight and Natsuki knew she was going to launch an attack. Was she really going to follow the Principal's orders? Midori and Nao didn't look ready for an attack so Natsuki knew she had to be the one to react.

Just as Shizuru had done previously, she moved her weight onto the foot she slid forwards, signalling an imminent lunge. This wasn't a practice spar; Natsuki knew she had to make her next action count. Her forefinger flexed against the trigger of one of her pistols and she fired a shot of energy off in Shizuru's direction. It would, perhaps, prove to be a mistake but she hadn't aimed so she would hit anyone. She just wanted to throw Shizuru's attack off.

It had the desired effect as Shizuru hopped backwards, a look of shock on her face. The sudden sound of her gun firing seemed to launch her companions into action as well. She couldn't tell what was going through their minds then but they obviously found the need to fight back as well as they both took up offensive stances. Nao sent a blast of telekinetic energy across the room, forcing their opponents to scatter.

Natsuki watched as Kanzaki took refuge in the room Shizuru had emerged from. _Coward, _she thought as she scanned the room for the Kaichou's whereabouts. As it turned out, she hadn't moved far. She had opted to absorb most of the force of Nao's attack by raising her sheathed weapon in front of her. She didn't seem at all harmed, much to Nao's annoyance.

Fumi was hanging back, seemingly unfazed by what was going on around her. The woman's demeanour didn't sit well with Natsuki; she couldn't read her at all. That made her unpredictable and dangerous. The sound of Nao shouting a curse at Shizuru brought Natsuki's attention back to her and she could only watch as the redhead launched herself at the Kaichou.

Nao swung her arm wide, releasing a wide arc of energy as she moved and forcing Shizuru to dodge out of the way. The force of the attack ripped several cabinets off of one wall, sending splintered wood in all directions. The sound of smashing glass filled the air as bottled and beakers tumbled to the floor. Nao clearly wasn't use to using her abilities outside the barrier.

Before Natsuki could even register where everyone had moved to, she heard Nao grunt in pain and Natsuki turned to see her fall to her knees. Shizuru had moved in close and thrust the hilt of her katana, still in its scabbard, into the younger girl's stomach. As the redhead doubled over, Natsuki brought her pistols up to fire at Shizuru. The Student Council President had seemingly expected the attack though and she side-stepped the shots expertly. If she followed the same pattern as at the waterfall, Natsuki knew Shizuru would attack next.

Before she could compensate for that, however, Midori positioned herself in front of Natsuki. She raised a barrier up, as she had before, and readied herself for the inevitable attack. The interference irked Natsuki. She didn't like the thought that someone believed she needed help. Now was not the time for pride to get in the way, though. Possibilities raced through her mind as she tried to figure out the best way to gain an advantage over Shizuru. Fumi still hadn't made a move and that worried Natsuki.

As she had expected, Shizuru lurched forwards, a flash of steel arcing through the air with a faint whistle. The power of her strike completely obliterated the defence Midori had erected, the blue energy fizzling almost instantly. The after effect of the slash sent Midori stumbling backwards and she didn't have time to use her abilities before the Kaichou was upon her.

Shizuru swung the flat of her blade towards Midori, catching her firmly in the face. The redhead let out a yelp as she was thrown to the floor, a harsh red mark instantly colouring the skin of her cheek. Natsuki called out to her companion, moving to assist her but was blocked by Fumi. There was a menace in the woman's eyes that caused her to take a step backwards. Holding a hand out in front of her, a faint glow surrounded the Chairwoman.

Natsuki's eyes widened in shock as a weapon materialised in Fumi's hand. She was now standing, gripping a scythe, looking completely at ease. The shaft of the weapon was fairly thin, with a dark cloth wrapped around it. Its long, curved blade looked impossibly sharp and Natsuki was sure she could see it pulsing with a barely visible black energy. The Chairwoman didn't move to attack her though; she was merely blocking her path.

She wasn't about to take any chances though and raised her own weapons, determination fuelling her actions. Fumi reacted in an instant, her stance becoming aggressive as she hoisted the scythe into the air. Natsuki reacted quickly, aiming a shot for the woman's torso. The small, bullet of energy disintegrated against a wall of blue, however, and Natsuki inwardly cursed at the timing.

Midori had forced a barrier between the pair of them, probably in an attempt to protect Natsuki. She glanced in the redhead's direction and saw she hadn't acted to protect herself. She now lay unmoving on the floor, a small spattering of blood covering the tiles beside her. Shizuru stood over Midori, her blade slipping smoothly into its sheathe once more.

"Damn it. Midori..!" Natsuki called out to the other girl. How could Shizuru hurt her like that?

The redhead groaned and shifted slightly, much to Natsuki's relief. Anger prickled just under her skin now and she glared at Shizuru, all her frustration and ire focused in that one look. The Kaichou peered back at her, her own gaze unwavering, but there was an emptiness in her eyes. Natsuki was forced to direct her attention to Fumi as the woman moved away from the barrier and towards Midori.

"Well done, Fujino-san," she said simply. She then raised her scythe into the air, the tip of the blade gleaming under the artificial light.

The muscles in Natsuki's throat constricted as she watched the blade swing down towards the defenceless redhead. She threw herself forwards against the wall of energy blocking her way in a desperate attempt to help Midori but it was futile. She rebounded painfully off of the barrier. She watched helplessly as the scythe finished its arc. To her surprise it didn't come into contact with Midori at all.

As she wondered if Fumi had missed, Midori let out a whimper and curled up into a tight ball. The barrier in front of Natsuki blinked out of existence. It was then that the Principal emerged from his safe haven, a smug grin on his face. As Natsuki tried to take in what was going on, Shizuru staggered backwards and reached out her free hand to steady herself against the wall beside her. Her face had paled and moisture had collected on her forehead.

"She's your first, Fujino-san. Savour it," Kanzaki said as he studied Shizuru's face.

Natsuki took in the scene with a growing sense of horror, her gaze flitting between Midori, Fumi and Shizuru. "What... what did you do to her?"

"You'll find out soon enough," the Principal murmured.

Nao took that moment to stumble over to Natsuki, a painful sounding cough forcing its way past her lips. She laid a hand on Natsuki's upper arm to steady herself. "We have to... get out of here..." she said weakly.

She knew the other girl was right but how could they just leave Midori? After what she'd just seen though, she wasn't sure if she could fight Fumi and Shizuru off. She didn't even know what they'd done to Midori. Would she be okay? A tightening grip on her arm forced her to make a decision. She couldn't let herself be beaten here so retreat was the only option for now. The thought of it left a bad taste in her mouth but she had no other choice.

With the decision made, she turned and ran, pulling Nao along with her as she released her hold on her weapons. The pair of them ducked into the stairwell quickly and stumbled through the darkness of the upper level. As they moved, the only thing she could picture was Shizuru standing over Midori as Fumi swung that scythe towards her. How could things turn out like this? She knew something was going on at the school but she'd had no idea it was so bad. That thought stuck with her as they emerged into the open air.

_I don't know a damn thing._

"Fuck," Nao panted. "Where the hell do we go now?"

Natsuki brought her hands up to rub at her arms, suddenly feeling chilled. "The only place we can go," she replied quietly. "Fuuka Academy."

"Are you crazy?"

Glancing at the other girl, Natsuki ignored the incredulous expression on her face. "Where else do you suggest then? We're isolated here. Just as they'd planned it."

As she began to walk back to the road Nao called after her. "Going back is suicide. What are we even going to do?"

Natsuki paused and took in a deep breath, resolve setting in. "We go to war."


End file.
